After nearly two years of the lights either being completely out or feeling like they’re on dim, this is the show that makes you realise what you’ve actually been missing. Partly it’s the celebration of Christmas and the Silly Season in their full excess: the joyfully bright and gaudy, the sparkly and kitsch. Then there’s the additional nostalgia of the songs, the traditional amongst a sweet assortment of classics and pop hits comprising the soundtrack of the 2003 movie that has become an annual holiday favourite for many, Love Actually.

Naomi Price in Christmas Actually. Photo © Dylan Evans

That context imbues them with added meaning, both celebratory and poignant. Throw in recreations of some of the most memorable and funny scenes and dialogue, and you’ve got the recipe for a sure-fire hit that has kept audiences coming, and returning, for four years.

The bow tying it up as the-best-Christmas-present-you-could-hope-for in 2021 though is the contrast provided by COVID references – the context that reminds us of how things used to be and the fact that life used to be much more fun, and can be again.

This is The Little...