Review : The Snowman Birmingham Rep 2026

Boxing Day 1984. I was a 7-year-old boy, full of Christmas joy, and distinctly remember my family tuning in to Channel 4 to watch the premiere of The Snowman, as circled in the TV Times magazine many weeks before.

42 years later, I would never have thought I'd be watching this magical cartoon acted out on stage, but when I received an invite from Birmingham Rep to review it, I jumped at the chance!

The Snowman has always been a festive, magical favourite of mine, and the show definitely held onto that magic!

The show opened with a snowy scene projected all over the stage, with a snowy landscape at the back, which really created a cold and chilly vibe, but at the same time was very beautiful and magical.

In the middle of the stage was a house, which gave off a warm, cosy vibe and was manually revolved to reveal different rooms of the house as the story went on.

The part of "The Boy" is shared by four different young actors across the various performances: Felix, Jake, Tate and Tristan. On this occasion, it was played by Tate who, through facial expressions and dance, played the part exceptionally well.

Along with performers Tasha Chu (Mum) and Teague Applegate (Dad / Father Christmas), the three of them worked brilliantly together, with ballet-style dancing and humour at times. And let's not forget the family cat, whose realistic movements were brought to life through the art of puppetry by Serafina Sofia Barbieri and Alice O'Brien.

As the show went on, I felt that the production had gone above and beyond to create the most realistic effects using high technology, while still very much holding onto that warm storybook vibe.

The Snowman, played by Andrew Ashton did an amazing job of bringing the character to life, with dance and humour, really capturing the magic of the story and the heart of the audience.

The much-loved flying scene was amazingly done, giving a whole new sensation to seeing the Boy and the Snowman flying. With projected images covering the whole stage and a transparent screen, it really pulled the audience closer and gave a 3D effect.

In the second half of the production, we find ourselves at the North Pole with the Boy and the Snowman, and things get even more festive! With Father Christmas and eight other snowmen dancing, it gives off that much-loved, festive, jolly feeling.

Along with more puppetry, including reindeer and various other animals, the warm magic is really brought to life on stage.

As the show closes, most of the audience find themselves under snowfall as it gently falls from the theatre rafters.

A truly magical production that brought back childhood memories and reminded me why The Snowman has always been such a special part of Christmas.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Design Credits 

Anna Fleischle Production Designer ( set & costumes)

Tahra Zafar Designer of The Snowman costume

Video Design Nina Dunn & Puppet Design Daisy Beattie

The Snowman is being performed at The Rep Till Sunday 1st November 

Tickets & Info https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/the-snowman-2026/

Then at

Peacock Theatre (Sadler's Wells) 21st November - 3rd January 2027

Tickets & Info  https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/the-snowman-2026/