A matinee show is a good idea, especially for young children, and the Olympia has a good one in Santa's Great Christmas Adventure. All the ingredients are there for the modern, television-addicted little ones, and maybe even for their slightly older siblings. Parents, as is proper, take their chances.
The story, not that it matters, is about bad elves stealing Santa's Christmas mail, and the hunt by Santa and numerous helpers to retrieve it in time for the big chimney drop. This offers scope for numerous tuneful songs, some undisciplined but energetic dancing and a deal of comic business. Audience participation is offered and eagerly accepted, particularly in an up-beat second act.
In a show like this, "who" is more important than "what", and the casting is excellent. Austin Gaffney is as cordial, booming a Santa as one could wish for, and he has a lot of backing here. Susan McFadden, whose tender years include a lot of top-flight experience, sings and acts nicely as a significant elf, and Jean Byford does an amusing comic turn as another.
A top boy-band infiltrates the action; Only Us is the usual toothsome quartet, pleasant of voice and easy of manner, eliciting some hysteria from their clued-in admirers. Very good indeed are the trio from RTE's Finbar's Class, Bryan Glanney, Jenny Maher and Oba Seagrave, whose exuberant personalities help the whole thing to swing.
Colourful, not to say psychedelic, costumes, good settings and a lively musical atmosphere help to drive the vehicle happily along. It certainly passes the decibel test, on both sides of the stage.
