The Christmas Thing
Ever wanted to be part of a TV audience without actually being on TV? The Christmas Thing makes that dream a reality. Back at Seven Dials Playhouse for Christmas 2025, cult sketch duo Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser (aka Mr Thing) deliver a festive multimedia comedy that gleefully rips up the seasonal rulebook.
While most holiday theatre leans on Dickensian ghosts (see our review of The Great Christmas Feast) or pantos, The Christmas Thing is part live variety show and part TV special. From the moment we stepped inside, the theatre is transformed into a makeshift television studio: cables snake across the floor, and the set is bold and bright with a tech desk, piano, and guest entrance door. The audience is drafted in as the “live studio audience” for a Christmas special that broadcasts… to nowhere.
Audience participation is central to the fun. On arrival, you’re asked to scan a QR code and answer quirky questions, with your name and mood (bashful, sleepy, excited, scared etc) flashing on the big screen. Even your preference for parsnips or sprouts becomes fuel for the evening’s competitions. You’re already wondering what’s going to happen, who’s going to be called up and what you’ll see. If you want a chance of being called up, complete the box asking for your party trick. On our night someone did the splits, another cried like a baby, someone gargled the National Anthem and another claimed they could pronounce ‘that Welsh town name’ — then simply said a one‑word name, which got a big laugh. One audience member even became a roaming camera operator for the night. It’s made clear that if you don’t want to participate, you can simply sit back and enjoy. The show thrives on spontaneity, drawing its best laughs from the audience’s willingness to dive in.
Beyond the games and sketches, there’s a subplot involving Krampus, a goat‑demon intent on stealing the Christmas Thing — a green box filled with festive spirit that sits on the stage. Santa’s also missing, and we need to find him!
Highlights include a parody streaming service, Thingflix, complete with absurd trailers- for example the fictional The Winker Wonderland starring Ed Jones; pre-recorded cameos from Emma Corrin and Peter Serafinowicz as fictional Hollywood legend Frankie Spangles; and Puppet Steve, a muppet-like reporter joining via Zoom. The second act opening is a standout, cheekily nodding to West End theatre like Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Boulevard, complete with a roaming camera. Musical interludes, drum-kit rimshots, and cheesy Christmas puns keep the energy high.
At the helm are Clarkson and Visser, whose rapport—honed since childhood—shines through in every moment. Clarkson, in a bright yellow suit, plays the expressive master of ceremonies, guiding the audience with game-show flair, while Visser, in red, mans the tech desk, firing off sound bites and videos with impeccable timing. Together they break into song-and-dance routines and improvise with the crowd. Beyond performing, they also write and direct the production themselves, ensuring the evening’s blend of sketches, games, and festive chaos feels cohesive yet delightfully unpredictable.
It takes a moment to adjust to the show’s style and perhaps the opening can be tighter, but once you’re in, you’re hooked. It’s silly, playful, and packed with laugh-out-loud moments—my cheeks hurt from laughing. You’ll clap, sing, and cheer as parsnips battle brussels sprouts, and you’ll leave buzzing with Christmas spirit. It is completely bonkers but very enjoyable.
Performing from 2nd to 20th December 2025 at Seven Dials playhouse. Tickets here: www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/shows/the-christmas-thing
Address: Seven Dials Playhouse
Website: https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/shows
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sevendialsplayhouse
Written by Caitlin Neal
