Tickets for Thursford Christmas Spectacular 2022 will go on sale on Friday 17th December. With 82 performances planned for the 2022 run which is more than ever before, audiences will flock once again to Europe’s largest Christmas show which will run from 8th November – 23rd December 2022.
This year’s award-winning production, which continues performances through until Monday 23rd December, has already been seen by 112,000 visitors from all over the world (including guests from as far as Texas) who have flocked to the tiny Norfolk village for this annual festive treat.
Set in the midst of the world’s largest collection of steam engines, mechanical organs and fairground rides, Thursford’s opulent Christmas spectacular is performed by a cast of 130 professional performers, many of whom have come directly from the West End in this three-hour show-stopping bonanza featuring a wide range of music, dance and comedy, with many more surprises along the way.
This glittering, tinsel-packed variety show has been entertaining visitors of all ages from across the globe since opening its doors on Christmas Eve more than 40 years ago in 1977. Seen by nearly 6 million people and regularly attracting up to 50 coaches a day from far and wide, the team installed a brand-new lighting experience to ensure that this year’s beloved and highly anticipated family-run show brings bucket loads of Christmas cheer to audiences who missed out last year. This family-run annual festive treat is delighted to be re-employing around 360 dancers, singers, musicians, variety acts, technicians, wardrobe teams, ushers, caterers and production staff. It was with great sadness that last year was the first time since opening its doors, that the show was unable to happen.
Lighting up the Norfolk countryside this festive season this year was an extraordinary selection of acts includes ITVs Britain’s Got Talent finalists, the brilliantly eccentric and energetic British-Armenian comedian Kev Orkian who introduced the world-class acrobat Billy George on the Cyr Wheel and juggling double act Bibi and Bichu. Returning to the stage was renowned theatre organist Phil Kelsall on Thursford’s Mighty Wurlitzer (one of the largest remaining Wurlitzers in Europe and the centre piece for the show) and the gravity-defying duo Delfina & Bartek also featured in an acrobatic spectacle.
The creative team includes John Cushing OBE (Producer and Director), Benjamin Ellin (Musical Director and Conductor), Tracey Iliffe (Choreographer), Peter Savidge (Casting Director), Jonathan Smith (Musical Orchestrator) and Stephen Adnitt (Designer).
Nestled in the beautiful Norfolk countryside, visitors will once again have the opportunity to experience the truly unique Thursford Collection which also includes The Enchanted Journey of Light, a magical walk-through experience for all ages running from 19th November 2021 until 23rd December 2021. Replacing the full production in 2019 due to the pandemic, this indoor wonderland trail of steam engines, kinetic fairy-tale characters and an immersive light and sound experience leads to a 4-acre Lantern Light Extravaganza of beautiful and breath-taking outdoor luminous sculptures, from a fantasy forest of jungle animals to the wilds of the North Pole. Tickets for The Enchanted Journey of Light are available separately through the website.
