It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Seckford Theatre in Woodbridge.

East Anglian Daily Times: Miracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th Street (Image: Archant)

Because Stage Door Theatre Company’s production of Miracle on 34th Street began on Wednesday night.

This version of the classic tale, which I always associate with the late great Richard Attenborough, who played Kris Kringle in the 1994 film, is a musical and quite different from the big screen productions.

But at the heart of it there is, just like in the most recent film, a gentleman with a rounded tum, real whiskers and half moon glasses.

Playing the loveable Kris Kringle is Phil Corey, a self-confessed Attenborough fan. And it showed. He gave a charming performance, and even the most ‘bah humbug!’ audience goers’ hearts must have melted when he sang It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas with another star of the show – young Susan Walker, played by Sophia Whatling.

East Anglian Daily Times: Miracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th Street (Image: Archant)

Other young members of the cast were able to shine in song and dance numbers in the first half too.

Some of the older cast members had familiar faces – two for example were in the Company of Four’s recent hit Spamalot at the Regent.

Allan Rogers, who played Sir Bedevere in the spoof show, shone as Mr Shellhammer, pulling funny faces and acting his socks off even when he didn’t have many lines in the scene.

Like the film, there was romance too – Sophie Edrupt had a lovely tone when she was singing as Doris Walker and Patrick Price ably played across from her as newly qualified lawyer Fred Gaily.

I thought that this production, like the recent Spamalot, showed that the standards between amateur and professional productions is reducing all the time.

Everything from the set to the acting and the singing and dancing impressed me. And it was a great way to start Christmas – with even a sprinkling of snow at the end. Tickets are still available for this little gem, which runs until Saturday. To book tickets, call 01473 295900 or visit www.wolseytheatre.co.uk

Nicola Warren