The stars and the snowglobe were out in full force at the opening show of Raymond Briggs' The Snowman in situ at The Peacock Theatre in London's Aldwych.
Taking my seat alongside Gok Wan, Gemma Collins and Louise Roe, amongst others, despite having seen the spectacle in previous years, the wonderment of it was as fresh as newly laid snow depicted on stage.
The story is breathtakingly simple. Boy builds a Snowman, who at the stroke of midnight on Xmas Eve, comes to life. Along the way, there is the creeping up the stairs, the dancing vegetables, the false teeth and, of course, the snow.
The innocence of childhood is beautiful to observe, the intakes of breath from the children around me and the gasps at THAT pivotal moment (no spoilers here!) at the magic of, against a starry backdrop, the journey that starts on the ground and ends up in the air, to the tune of the Aled Jones classic song.
The dancing snowmen some in kilts, some in top hats and tails is a special moment. What makes the show so much more impactful is there are no words, it's mine and dance; the fluidity and the acting were simply sublime.
At one point the audience was in total silence, enthralled in the storytelling that was unfolding. You could have heard a pin drop when Boy went to place the scarf on the Snowman.
Running at 1 hour 50 minutes, The Snowman has set off Christmas in style.
It runs until 31 December. Tickets from £ 21: here.
Review: Kay Johal Photo: Tristram Kenton