A Small Norfolk Village Stages a £5 Million Christmas Extravaganza

For almost five decades, a small village has hosted a large-scale Christmas event, drawing approximately 110,000 visitors to what is typically a tranquil area of Norfolk. The question arises: what is involved in staging a multi-million pound variety production in a rural setting? Thursford, located in North Norfolk, has a population of only 180 residents, yet it is preparing to welcome numerous coachloads of guests arriving from various parts of the country. Initiated in 1977, the Christmas Spectacular has expanded significantly, drawing over 5,800,000 attendees since its inception. The performance incorporates singing, dancing, musical numbers, and comedic acts. This year’s variety lineup specifically includes contortionists, tumblers, diablo spinners, and mountain bike stunts. A team of 400 individuals works behind the scenes to guarantee the seamless execution of the festive production. This workforce encompasses the international cast, tailors responsible for repairing and cleaning hundreds of costumes, and production personnel who coordinate the entire event. Phoebe Chambers, the head of wardrobe, describes starting each day with a substantial amount of laundry, indicating that there is no opportunity for rest during this process. Chambers stated, “Every day things go wrong, everyday things need fixing.” She added, “We normally wash about 200 shirts – there’s always poppers falling off, fishnets that need repairing and that’s part of our four-hour laundry call we do every morning.” Following this, the wardrobe department’s role is to “make sure everyone has what they need” and that everyone “is looking correct” throughout the performance. However, with two shows scheduled daily, there is no opportunity for a break. Chambers further explained, “[Then we] fix what broke during the first show and then someone stays behind to collect up all the laundry and then you start again the next day.” Although over 2,000 performers seek positions in the 130-member ensemble, the production draws an international cast, with individuals from 12 different nationalities residing in Thursford for a period of three months. Sydney Wimes, a dancer from the US, commented that this experience represented a significant departure from her usual professional engagements. Wimes remarked, “I would describe myself as a city girl – big lights and everything – and now I have neighbours that are like sheep and cows, so it’s a bit different.” She added, “You get a little bit of everything in the show which is really nice… we really do it all, so it’s an amazing experience.” The annual production incurs costs of nearly £5m. George Cushing, whose family initiated the event, noted that it began as a modest gathering 47 years prior. Cushing stated, “That was just a small carol concert in a farm barn for 500 people and it’s grown and grown since then.” He continued, “We’re now nearly 80 performances,120 cast on site and there’s another 30 orchestra off site. It’s a mammoth operation and I don’t think anyone had expected it to grow to what it’s become.” Mr. Cushing, who serves as an associate producer for the event, indicated that a substantial investment has been made this year in new lighting, music, and costumes. While the creators aim to maintain the show’s novelty, it also values the return of dedicated audience members annually, such as Joyce and Brian Cooper. The Coopers have attended for 15 years; Mrs. Cooper initially visited with her father following her mother’s passing. She now views attending the show as a cherished way to remember her late father, describing it as “the start of Christmas.” Conversely, Mr. Cooper recalls visiting Thursford for its steam engine collection well before the Christmas Spectacular began. He recounted, “I started coming here 50 years ago to go to the museum when George Cushing was the originator in his overalls looking after the engines.” Mr. Cooper added, “We’ve been coming here for lots of years bringing family and friends but now I’m nearly 80 it is probably my last year.” The Christmas Spectacular is scheduled to continue until December 23. For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.