Christmas is a time of joy to all mankind, but an Ayckbourn Christmas…

Poor Bernard’s earnest contribution is this year’s puppet show, the latest in a long line of excruciating entertainments that the children loathe even more than the adults; meanwhile his wife flambés the kitchen. The two sisters both fall for the ingenious young writer Clive and the midnight love-making scene amongst the noisy presents leads to a hilariously embarrassing climax after which he is shot by trigger-happy Harvey.

An amusing and well-observed glimpse of the English family Christmas.