What, you may ask, is that?
Thursford is a tiny village in North Norfolk near the coast, where years ago, a local farmer started a collection of fairground organs and steam engines, which he housed in one of his barns. The collection grew and grew over the years, and people started to come from all over to see it. The centrepiece was an old three-manual Wurlitzer organ, and eventually someone was found to play it - and play it he did, brilliantly.
A carousel ride was added, a miniature steam train ride around the extensive grounds, children's play area, and gradually, small gift shops. It became a tourist attraction.
The Christmas show has been going for over thirty years now, featuring singing and dancing, Christmas carols, orchestras and bands and choirs. It has become gradually more sophisticated and polished, and now is a terrific spectacular, rivalling anything found in the West End.
Coachloads of people come to watch, and you have to book in January for any chance of getting tickets for the next Christmas.
The show starts in early November and continues until December 23rd, with two performances a day.
Yesterday was just amazing. The ground was still covered in snow, which added to the romance of the occasion, and as we walked from the car park we were greeted by fairly lights covering the trees and carols playing.
In the auditorium (yes, the old barn, but no longer looking like a barn - it seats 2000 people) are thousands and thousands of coloured lights, Christmas decorations, snow scenes, Santas, sleighs and so on. The show itself is absolutely magical, with first class Cambridge choirs, excellent dancers (the tap dance was memorable), a brilliant comic ventriloquist, a conjurer, orchestra, bag pipers, and loads more, including a brilliant performance on the Wurlitzer. The costumes were wonderful, all colour and glitter. A truly memorable start to Christmas. What I like best is the excellent mix of sacred and secular, bringing God right into the middle of ordinary life. The Christmas story was retold in words and music in such a sensitive and inspiring way and totally avoiding the cringe factor.
Put it in your list of "Things I must do before I die." You'll be bowled over.
Oh, and if you want a glimpse, here it is: Thursford
I'm signing off now for Christmas, so HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.
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