Mark Thomas: An Extra Plate
South Street Arts Centre
Reading
December 30
THERE IS something special about Christmas and in his humorous festive show, Mark Thomas aims to distill that je ne sais quoi.
It was a touching evening that weaved together personal experiences from across the seven ages of man.
From childhood festivities, to the spectre of death, Mark’s show moved the audience as well as made them laugh.
On arrival, Mark was playing DJ, spinning some of his favourite festive tunes and being a full-on meeter and greeter to everyone who came in, and it was a packed house.
Turns out that, thanks to the faith of his parents and vicar sister, he’s already got some experience in the welcoming, because he’s helped visitors to midnight masses and other festive services, despite his self-confessed atheism.
Anecdotes include a hilarious dissection of his father’s very blunt spell as a school fete Santa, the Christmas Eve spent on the roof of a house, an ex-girlfriend’s unusual, and unprintable, way of asking for a small glass of wine, as well as the pathos of present giving.
There was a dip into history and the impact that had on his father’s view of Christmas – essentially, eat, drink and be merry.
Mark also looked at the presents he received and the differences they made to his Christmasses. He even brought one along as a show and tell in one of the most moving moments of the evening.
The show weaved around issues in a very entertaining way, but always came back to the point: Christmas is better together, however that manifests itself. The best present is presence.
It was a warm, engaging evening, featuring plenty of Christmas stories to put a smile on every Scrooge’s face, with a touch of nostalgia, and looking forward.
It also has enough bite to keep fans of Mark’s more usual fare happy.
Coming between Christmas and New Year, this was a special evening of festive entertainment.
PHIL CREIGHTON
