A Joyful Christmas Afternoon with The Snowman

At Christmas, the simplest moments often feel the most magical – the sound of a favourite carol, the sparkle of lights, a story shared together. This year, BREC has created the perfect festive afternoon to share with the children in your life and begin your family’s holiday season.

Start with the wonder of live Christmas carols performed by a full orchestra. Then step into the timeless tale of The Snowman – the much-loved film where a snowman comes to life – brought to the big screen with Philharmonic South West Orchestra performing the score live.

Designed especially for families, this event makes classical music fun and accessible, while giving parents and grandparents the chance to create lasting Christmas memories. With festive foyer activities before the show and an invitation to dress up in your favourite Christmas outfits, it’s an all-in-one outing that’s joyful, relaxed, and full of wonder.

A celebration of music, imagination, and the season’s spirit – perfect for children and for anyone who believes in the magic of Christmas.

About The Snowman

Originally published in 1978, The Snowman, created and illustrated by Raymond Briggs has become one of the world’s most popular children’s books, selling in excess of 8.5 million copies worldwide and being translated into over 15 languages.

In 1982, Raymond Briggs’ classic picture book The Snowman was adapted as a 26-minute animated film by TVC (at the time the UK’s longest established animation studio), under the direction of Dianne Jackson.  Having spotted the potential for creating a unique and ground-breaking animation, John Coates, instructed two trusted assistant animators, Hilary Audus and Joanna Harrison, to go and buy a dozen copies of the book for the purpose of dissecting it and storyboarding the very first animatic.

This quickly turned into a hand-drawn animation bible, which became the template for the final film.  John Coates’ passion for bringing the book to the screen quickly caught the attention of Sir Jeremy Issacs, former Chief Executive of Channel 4 who believed that it would be a fantastic piece for the channel and stand out from the rest of its schedule.

The Snowman was first shown in the UK on 26 December 1982 and has since been shown every year on Channel 4; it has also delighted audiences across the world.

In keeping with the book, the film of The Snowman is wordless and free of dialogue, except for the now iconic, “Walking in the Air” which features as part of  a now timeless musical score.

Both song and score were written and composed by Howard Blake, who had in fact written the melody some years before having been inspired by a walk on a Cornish beach.

© Snowman Enterprises Limited | thesnowman.com

Tickets & Venue Info

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