Fairytale of New York At The Hawth, Crawley Review

Reviewed by Gina Reedy

Last night we went to an unforgettable night of nostalgic songs; great scenery; incredible Irish dancing and a range of Christmas favourites including Driving Home for Christmas, played by the multi talented musicians. It was so exciting to start the festive season with the joy-filled production of Fairytale of New York, at The Hawth, Crawley.

Getting into the theatre was very easy. The car park is just outside the theatre and parking was free. It was incredibly convenient as we walked straight along the path into the airy lobby, where the box office is. The complex has more than one stage and a big open area going into the restaurant and bar. There is the opportunity to buy a wide range of drinks and meals in the airy atrium before entering the very large auditorium. Many theatre goers were eating before the show. There were the traditional interval ice creams served by the usherettes. The seats had plenty of legroom and were very comfy in the large open space.

The scene is set as soon as you take your seat with the film back drop of different places in Ireland. The Emerald Isle in all its beauty- coastline and hills. The actual props and scenery are a stone wall with snow plus a set with a very Christmassy feel. It had a decorated tree with lights, presents and of course, tinsel. Festoon lighting was draped across the stage.

The cast of only 8 set the tone for a great night out. The opening Irish dance gave an insight of what was to come in terms of the exciting, foot stamping choreography, allowing for spontaneous clapping by the audience.

It is hard for me to comment on all the songs, as there were so many enjoyable moments in the show. The strength of the musical talent makes for a really strong performance all round. I was particularly impressed with the range of instruments that the four musicians played and the different types of music they performed from folk to modern.

There were some stand out moments for me- the guitar solo in Driving Home for Christmas and the beautiful soprano in ‘O Holy Night’. The performers wore a mixture of both traditional Irish costumes as well as some memorable contemporary outfits. I particularly liked the fast pace Irish dance with the dancers all in black, including leather trousers, juxtaposed against the fast drumming of the traditional Irish drums. The audience was really engaged and clearly loved joining in both with singing, whistling and clapping.

Their finale was a great ending to a fantastic Christmas night out. The Hawth has started their Christmas fayre with a bang and I would recommend getting tickets to one of their festive shows as a treat for yourself!

Rating: 5 out of 5

For more information and to make a booking tickets can be bought from:
https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth

Address:The Hawth, Crawley, RH10 6YZ