After a year at Trinity Park, the Co-op Juniors are back at their spiritual home, the Snape Maltings Concert Hall, for their annual Christmas spectacular and this year it’s got more seasonal sparkle and more Yuletide magic than ever before.

It’s fast, it’s slick – it has more than a thousand costumes adorning over 90 talented performers – it provides the perfect precursor to the big day itself.

Conjured up by the creative team of Harriet Ablitt, Ellena Bacon and Oliver Brett, along with musical director Nicholas Sheehan and arranger Emily Bennett, this year’s show comes across as a Christmas show on steroids.

The sheer enthusiasm of the young talent explodes off the stage and bounces round the auditorium in a riot of colour, sound and glitter. The cast, ranging from ages eight or nine to 21 have been well-drilled and are clearly enjoying their polished routines.

The show itself mixes traditional festive numbers (Last Christmas and Santa Clause Is Coming to Town) with some classic nightclub jazz sequences (Mr Pinstripe Suit and I Got Rhythm) which would not have been out-of-place on Strictly Come Dancing, with a slice of seasonal ballet and a fabulous medley of highlights from Half a Sixpence.

But, it is with the group numbers that the Co-op Juniors really come into their own. The first half closer The Nativity/O Holy Night is guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat as powerhouse vocals are backed with an onstage chorus and then further voices from young angels who have surreptitiously filled the auditorium.

It’s a show that’s full of festive fun and good cheer and proves the importance of the arts in giving young people a chance to not only gain confidence performing in front of an audience but also have an opportunity to discover and develop skills and talents which may have gone unrecognised.

The show ends with a dramatic kick-line performed by a group of elegant, top-hatted reindeer (just accept it) which then brings the entire company on stage for the triumphant finale.

The perfect start to Christmas.

Thanks to Andrew Clarke for his review, which appeared in the EADT on Monday, 8 December.

All images – credit Mike Kwasniak.