The World Stage Premiere of FATHER CHRISTMAS Plays the Lyric Hammersmith, Now thru 5 Jan

This winter, Barry McCarthy (King Lear, Almeida; The White Guard, National Theatre) will play Father Christmas as the Lyric Hammersmith and Pins and Needles Productions mount the first ever stage adaptation of the festive classic by eminent children's author Raymond Briggs, nearly 40 years after the story was first published.

Father Christmas awakes from a dream of summer sun only to realise that it's blooming Christmas Eve and the start of his longest night of the year.

Beloved by generations, Briggs' story will be brought vividly to life by Pins and Needles using original music, played live by Kate Adams (Alice in Wonderland, Royal & Derngate Northampton; The Hired Man, Old Laundry Theatre), and puppetry built by Max Humphries (Dick Whittington and His Cat, Lyric Hammersmith; Orpheus & Eurydice, Little Bulb/BAC) and operated by David Emmings (Joey in War Horse, National Theatre/West End; Something Very Far Away, Unicorn Theatre).

Performances begin tonight, 30 November and continue through Saturday 5 January. Tickets are £8. For bookings, call 020 8741 6850. For bookings and a full performance schedule, visit www.lyric.co.uk/whats-on/production/father-christmas.