White Christmas Review – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Flawless tap dancing? Check. Glitzy costumes? Check. Live 17-piece orchestra? Check. Stunning sets? Check.

There are few things more effective at evoking the festive spirit than a flashy, feel-good Christmas show. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is this year’s offering from The Festival Theatre and it manages to effectively deliver on nearly all counts.

Based on the movie of the same name starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, White Christmas tells the story of two former army and showbiz buddies, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, as they prepare to stage a festive variety show in Vermont to help out their former General (who now owns the struggling holiday resort). As expected, the plot was far from exciting, making it imperative that the 30-strong cast performed the song and dance numbers well enough to salvage the weak script.

Luckily, lead actors Steve Houghton and Paul Robinson were on top form from the start, portraying Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (respectively), turning in performances that somehow managed to overshadow the dull story behind the spectacle. Robinson was particularly impressive during second-act opener I Love a Piano, during which he showcased his impeccable tap dancing skills.

Former Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters also managed to stun the audience with her strikingly powerful vocals and witty portrayal of Martha Watson, the wisecracking housekeeper at the Inn who has always fancied herself as a Broadway star.

Overall, White Christmas is a fun festive show that the whole family will enjoy – just don’t go expecting to be captivated by the story or the script. It’s cheesy and predictable, but what else would you expect from a Christmas show?

White Christmas runs at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre until Saturday 4th January 2014. Tickets are priced £16 – £46.50 and can be purchased from http://www.edtheatres.com/whitechristmas .