Welcome to Eyes and Teeth and The World’s Greatest Variety Show
On my last tour date in Norfolk I swung by one of my favourite venues called The Thursford Collection. In the spring to Summer it showcases fairground attractions and steam engines of the highest calibre but in October its turned into a rehearsal space for the Thursford’s Christmas Spectacular which has attracted over 5.8 million visitors to date and is the largest Christmas show in the country.
I have had the pleasure of hosting this show in 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2019 and it boasts on its website a cast of 120 professional singers, dancers and musicians – most of whom are straight out of the West End. The three-hour performance delivers an extravaganza of non-stop singing, dancing, music, humour and variety. It’s a fast moving celebration of the festive season featuring an eclectic mix of both seasonal and year-round favourites, with famous and much-loved chart toppers being performed alongside traditional carols. The website also notes that the finale of the show includes a fly over of white doves across the auditorium. So do not look up with your mouths open, lucky its not based in Eastbourne otherwise there would be a flyover of seagulls, and you wouldn’t want them swooping down to grab your sausage roll.
It's almost difficult to explain the feeling of being at Thursford as a punter and as a performer. You have to see it to believe it and although it sells out or nearly sells out annually still so many people know nothing about it. You can’t say that of people in the industry. Andrew Lloyd Webber knows about it and its all down to one man and his incredible team of creatives.
John Cushing is the show’s Producer, its brainchild, from choir to spectacular John joins me to discuss the process of getting a show like this on the stage as we go behind the scenes in his office where a carpet covered in CD’s is turned into one of the greatest shows to ever grace the stage in the UK. Welcome to Thursford, Welcome to Eyes & Teeth John Cushing.