08 Dec 2025
Christmas is set to be truly magical this year, as Piers Torday’s thrilling adaptation of John Masefield’s much-loved adventure The Box of Delights arrives at the Abbey Theatre.
This festive, fast-paced tale of mystery and wonder comes sprinkled with more than a little enchantment.
When young Kay Harker returns home for the Christmas holidays, he meets an old magician who entrusts him with a peculiar box. This Box of Delights has extraordinary powers, and Kay is quickly drawn into an adventure involving wizards, wolves and wallet-whipping wrongdoers.
To save Christmas, Kay must outwit those determined to use the box’s magic for evil. Along the way, he and his friends face all manner of danger — including a glamorous gangster, a cheese-loving rat and an evil magician who has lived for almost a thousand years.
Director Beccy Baird has had her hands full preparing the production. “This brilliant Christmas show demands a lot of complex staging and stagecraft, which has presented us with some wonderful challenges,” she says. “We’ve had to create a flood, a flying car, a phoenix, a shadow theatre and, of course, the magical Box of Delights itself.
“Then there are the illusions — card tricks, levitating boxes and people appearing before your very eyes. We’re also singing carols and using puppets, so there’s something for all members of the family to enjoy.”
The cast of 21 actors play multiple roles and even double as stagehands, conjuring ingenious props from everyday items found on stage. Beccy adds: “Cast and crew have had an amazing time bringing this terrific piece of multifaceted entertainment to life. We can’t wait for audiences to enjoy it too.”
Performances:
Friday December 19 at 7.30pm
Saturday December 20 at 2.30pm and 5.30pm
Sunday December 21 at 2.30pm and 5.30pm
Monday December 22 at 7.30pm
Tuesday December 23 at 7.30pm
Saturday 27 December 27 at 2.30pm and 5.30pm
Sunday December 28 at 2.30pm and 5.30pm
Performances take place on the Abbey Theatre Main Stage. To book tickets please go to www.abbeytheatre.org.uk or call the box office on 01727 857861
