THE excitement and anticipation of Christmas is at the heart of a festive show at Salisbury Playhouse.

The Night Before Christmas is an adaptation of the Clement C Moore’s popular bedtime story which has delighted children for centuries. It has been written by Glyn Kerslake and Salisbury Playhouse’s artistic director Gareth Machin.

Sophie Evans, who was a runner up on BBC’s Over the Rainbow and later went on to play Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz in London, joins Glyn Kerslake, Adrian Grove and Rebecca Trehearn on stage.

Kerslake said: “It is a beautiful poem and one that most children will have had read to them. Most people can cite the first verse off by heart and it just captures the spirit of Christmas.”

The show is set around a Victorian family and their young daughter at Christmas. Evans, who plays excitable child Martha, said: “I’m a very excitable person anyway so this comes natural to me to play a child but we are storytellers as well so we tell the story and play the characters which is nice.”

“I loved the concept of a new Christmas show specifically for children.”

She added: “The music is gorgeous, warm and fuzzy and gets you right into the spirit of Christmas. There are songs you think you already know which is good for children and they will instantly love listening to it.”

The production is set in the intimate setting of the Salberg.

“There are going to be lots of surprises for the kids and lovely special effects,” says Kerslake.

Speaking about what audiences can expect, he says: “It will really put them in the right frame of mind for Christmas and make them feel that life is good. It has a cosy, by the fire Christmas feel.”

It runs until December 31. For tickets call 01722 320333 or go to salisburyplayhouse.com.