Christmas may be a time for high spirits, great joy and happiness for all, but what happens when your head isn’t in the best place? Mental health issues are being highlighted more and more these days, and it’s especially important for men to know that ‘it’s okay not to be okay’, and surprisingly, that’s what It’s a Wonderful Wee Christmas  is all about.

From comedy writing and acting duo Caroline Curran and Julie Maxwell comes a heartwarming tale full of highs and lows as we follow local Credit Union worker Geordie Bailey on his Christmas journey as he battles depression after not fulfilling his dreams. The story comes to a head on Christmas Eve after the Credit Union is robbed and unorthodox angel in-training Clara Crackingbody (played by the inimitable Caroline Curran of course) pays Bailey a visit to look back on his life to find some deeper meaning and hope.

Curran plays the bolshy angel part well and she often provides some much needed comic relief when things get too serious, whilst Jimmy Doran plays Geordie Bailey with the perfect level of emotion; Paddy Buchanan and Julie Maxwell are both very endearing in their roles as young Geordie and his wife Mary amongst other minor parts.

Taking a true Christmas classic like It’s a Wonderful Life and adding a bit of Northern Irish charm is a smart move, and with a simple set representing the local hub of the Credit Union there isn’t too much visual distraction from the serious tale at hand. The only real change of scene is when a row of front doors complete with doorsteps descend from the ceiling, and there’s something nice about the simplicity of the doors that works well.

When going to see a Curran and Maxwell Christmas show at the theatre, you expect a level of gregariousness, that It’s a Wonderful Wee Christmas definitely lacked. Gone are the cheap adult jokes of Maggie Muff, and while Curran’s signature face-pulling and cheeky Northern Irish slang are still firmly in place, this is an altogether more serious affair. Both heartwarming and sobering, It’s a Wonderful Wee Christmas is a step above the usual Christmas faff, and I thoroughly enjoyed the change in tone. Although this isn’t an all-singing, all-dancing performance full of colour, lights and sparkle, there’s still plenty of Christmas cheer to be found in It’s A Wonderful Wee Christmas.

Running until the 31st December, if you’re looking for a Christmas night out with a bit of a difference, then you can’t go wrong with It’s a Wonderful Wee Christmas at the Theatre At The Mill. For more information or to book tickets, click here. 

Laura Caldwell

Author: Laura Caldwell

Hi, I'm Laura. I'm 30 years old and have a degree in Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as writing for BBC Across the Line.