Based on John Masefield’s 1935 novel of the same name and adapted by writer Piers Torday, the RSC’s Christmas production “The Box of Delights” is magical, mysterious and a lot of fun. The story follows young orphan Kay Harker (Callum Balmforth) who is returning from boarding school for Christmas. On the train, he has a chance meeting with Cole Hawlings (Stephen Boxer), a magician who is disguised as a Punch and Judy man.
The magician gives him a small wooden box, which grants Kay different abilities – the ability to shrink, to move swiftly, and to travel in time. It is up to Kay to use his new abilities to save Christmas from the evil Abner Brown (Richard Lynch) and his accomplices, known as the Wolves (Tom Kanji as jewel thief Charles, Nana Amoo-Gottfried as his sidekick Joe, Claire Price as the witch Sylvia Daisy Pouncer and Tom Chapman as the Rat).
The production is full of exciting set pieces. A phoenix rising from the ashes, the stage transforming into a magical forest, an underwater rescue mission brought to life with flying apparatus – there is plenty to keep children (and adults) amused! The set is also a marvel – cupboards and wardrobes are piled high at the back of the stage, but with thanks to some clever projections, they are transformed into villages, forests, mountains and more.
Kay is not alone in his mission. He is joined by two friends, Maria (Mae Munuo) and Peter (Jack Humphrey). Humphrey is by no doubt the standout of this show – his public school boy may seem a tad stereotypical, but the character is incredibly endearing and funny. Maria is anything but stereotypical, the true action hero of the piece and a character that surely all teenage girls would aspire to be.
Throughout the piece, Christmas carols help to make everything feel a bit more festive, with the Bishop (Timothy Speyer) and the Mayor (Melody Brown) adding plenty of comedy to the play. The play does feel slightly overstuffed though – too many characters and an incredibly long runtime might make it difficult for children to be fully engaged throughout.
That being said, the puppetry throughout is fantastic. Rhiannon Skerrit acts as the puppeteer for Barney the dog, and does this so realistically that I was unable to take my eyes off the puppet whenever it was onstage. When Kay uses the box to shrink himself, he becomes a marionette, which is expertly manipulated by Balmforth. These small pieces of theatrical magic help to bring this story to life.
The play is bookended by two short scenes set in the present day, with Stephen Boxer taking on the role of a granddad – seemingly the grown-up Kay Harker, telling the story to his grandson (portrayed by Balmforth). This is slightly confusing and doesn’t seem to add anything to the story, but I suppose it adds to the whimsical nature of the play.
This is by no means a theatrical masterpiece – at over two and a half hours, I did find my mind wandering from time to time, and the play does seem to spend too much time explaining plot rather than just letting us enjoy the characters. But if you’re looking for something fun, festive and fabulous to look at, this ticks all the right boxes.
Tom Morley, November 2023
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