Inside Sandi Toksvig’s yuletide variety spectacular there is a terrific show. One simply has to find it.
The three-hour-plus opening night of this family-friendly smorgasbord crammed so much in that, never mind the children, it ended after most parents’ bedtimes.
Variety is certainly the word. Proceedings, linked knowingly by Toksvig, kicked off stylishly with the acrobatic clowning of Spymonkey’s Petra Massey and Toby Park. Then, in quick succession, there was the all‑singing, all-jiving Five Guys Named Moe, magician Pete Firman and his amazing disappearing egg, a sparky Little Match Girl, three grandstanding opera singers, über-diva Maria Friedman and conductor Charles Hazlewood leading a sing-song of "ding-dongs". Did I mention co-star Ronnie Corbett and party games?
The second half was more cohesive yet equally overlong. An enjoyably hurried Christmas Carol spoof with good-sport special guests, Stephen "Green Wing" Mangan as Scrooge and Sara "I gave up A Doll’s House for this" Kestelman as Mrs Cratchit, would have sufficed. Instead we also had carols and a romantic subplot featuring Massey and Park. By the time Ronnie Corbett re-appeared to deliver gags about cleaning the budgie cage and getting trapped in it I was feeling trapped myself.
Future guests include Fiona Shaw, who knows all about epics, and Rob Brydon, who should be a great Scrooge opposite his chum Ronnie Corbett’s tartan-trewed ghost. Toksvig is no Ronnie Barker but with Corbett made an appealing "condiments set of comedy", as she put it. The pocket-sized pairing was the only thing that was short last night.
Until 24 December (0844 875 0073, www.southbankcentre.co.uk).
Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road, Waterloo, SE1 8XX
