The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland

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When St Nick heads to Wonderland to deliver a present, it sets in motion a madcap adventure that threatens Christmas all over the world… Based on the bestselling picture-book from award-winning illustrator Kate Hindley and debut author Carys Bexington, The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland is an animated musical feature full of nonsensical fun, festive twists and an array of distinctive and diverse characters. The story is a mashup of Lewis Carroll’s classic “Alice in Wonderland” (translated into over 125 languages and never out of print since its publication in 1865) and the poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1823. This time it’s St Nick’s (Gerard Butler) turn for a topsy-turvy adventure down the rabbit hole. Receiving a last-minute Christmas letter from the Princess of Hearts, he sets off to Wonderland to deliver her present, with his team of dedicated and down-to-earth reindeer, led by Prancer (Mae Muller). There he meets the Queen of Hearts (Emilia Clarke), a Scrooge-esque tinsel-hater, and her antagonistic feline sidekick, the Cheshire Cat. When she sees St Nick and Prancer, the Queen’s pent-up fury is unleashed along with her favourite catchphrase, “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” St Nick, Prancer and their charmingly mischievous elf side-kick Boots flee her wrath, but unwittingly become lost in a maze of strange surprises. A giant Alice (Simone Ashley) comes to their rescue and shows them the way to a curious Tea Party in the Wonderland forest. The Mad Hatter (Mawaan Rizwan) is the flamboyantly fashionable host, alongside his eccentric and confused companion the March Hare (Asim Chaudry) and the endearingly scatty and nervous White Rabbit (Mackenzie Crook). St Nick barely nibbles a biscuit before the Queen arrives and orders everyone’s arrest. Whilst being frog-marched to court, St Nick learns that the Christmas letter that brought him to Wonderland was in fact written by the Queen of Hearts, back when she was a young and fun-loving Princess. It had been lost in the post. Upset by never receiving a visit from St Nick, the Princess grew up bitter and resentful, hating anything to do with Christmas and eventually banning it throughout the land. St Nick is devastated, but before he has a chance to apologise, he is convicted for the Twelve Crimes of Christmas, in a show trial presided over by the furious Queen of Hearts and is thrown into jail alongside his companions. In a last-gasp effort, Alice manages to remind the Queen of her lost letter, unlocking within her a long-forgotten memory of her happy childhood and her wish for a pet Bandersnatch. Perhaps she can finally get her gift after all. After a wacky jail break and a dash to escape Wonderland via the famous Rabbit Hole, St Nick and the crew are intercepted by the Queen of Hearts, greedy for her gift. St Nick is delighted to oblige, but to the Queen’s horror the gift has turned into coal. St Nick explains that to turn it back, she needs to be kind, the very first rule of Christmas! Alice and the tea party crew come to the rescue, teaching the Queen how to be kind. Her first decree: to restore Christmas to Wonderland. All’s well that ends well: St Nick and his crew are free to get back on the road, delivering presents all over the world, and the Queen celebrates Christmas with friends old and new, including her “frumiously” fun and fast Bandersnatch! This hilarious and heart-warming animated musical is directed by multi award-winning director and animator Peter Baynton, produced by Ruth Fielding and Camilla Deakin at multi award-winning studio Lupus Films. The screenplay, entirely in rhyming couplets, is written by award-winning Irish author Sara Daddy. With songs written by Guy Chambers and Amy Wadge, and published by Bucks Music Group, this rollicking festive musical feature will be a treat for all the family.