Llangollen's Collen Players gave an audience in festive mood a real Christmas cracker of a show with Deck the Halls, their heart-warming festive variety treat last night (Friday).
As promised, it was an evening packed with timeless singalong favourites, sparkling nostalgia and old-fashioned charm, which was the perfect way to start the seasonal celebrations.
All money raised on the night goes to the appeal to restore and preserve St Collen's ancient and historic hammer-beam ceiling.
Topping the evening's bill was Colin Bourdiec, the ukulele maestro who pays a jolly tribute to the great George Formby and many more old time favourites besides.
The Chairman of Charm, Leonard Naylor, delighted with some daring ditties and delightful solo numbers.
Stepping up on stage first came Collen Players regular Phil Robinson with a couple of numbers designed to charm the chill from the night - Winter Wonderland and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Miss Susan Stokes, billed as the Silver Songbird, followed with her candle-glow cosy song, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, then a reading of A Yorkshire Nativity by Gervaise Fin.
Mike Connolly exercised his considerable choral range to the full with Do You Hear What I Hear? and Let There Be Peace on Earth. He was back later for a touching version of Silent Night.
The Chairman himself captured the fun of the night with his rendition of the comedy nugget The Night I Appeared as Macbeth and, later, his showpiece asked, Who'll Come and Roll Mother's Pudding?
Alison Jarvis entertained with her amusing poem Santa's Greatest Secret.
Colin Bourdiec gave us a musical reminder of why we still love the legendary Lancashire lad George Formby before leading the audience in an hilarious Twelve Days of Christmas, which had them bobbing up and down like corks and he was back for the grand finale with a touch of magic.
Jayne on keyboard and Clayton on drums provided some solid accompaniment to the various artistes throughout the bill, with Jayne also teaming up with the Chairman for the piano duet Jingle Bells.
And there was ample opportunity for the audience to air their own vocal talents with the many seasonal-themed sing-along numbers available, including the closing numbers of Down at the Old Bull and Bush and White Christmas.
* Pictures by Jeanette Robinson
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