THERE’S a Christmas treat in store for local theatre-goers that will go some way towards making up for the loss of this year’s pantomime due to the covid situation.

The Malvern Theatres Young Company are delighted to present a new production of Paul Gallico’s touching tale, The Snow Goose, live on stage in the Festival Theatre from Tuesday, December 15 to Saturday,,December 19.

Gallico’s moving classic, set against the backdrop of war, is a heartfelt exploration of friendship, sacrifice and ultimately, love.

Tickets are limited and now on sale at the box office

It’s Essex Marshes, 1940. Philip has retreated alone to an abandoned lighthouse, where he spends his time painting the stark and beautiful surrounding landscape.

Then one day, Philip is unexpectedly joined by Frith, who brings with her a wounded snow goose. Initially shy of each other, Philip and Frith’s relationship develops as together they nurse the injured bird back to health.

Born in New York in 1897, Paul Gallico was a novelist, short story and sports writer. Many of his works inspired adaptations for film, TV and stage shows. His short story, The Seven Souls of Clement O'Reilly was adapted into the Oscar-winning motion picture Lili, and later staged as the musical Carnival!.

Written in 1941, The Snow Goose is considered Gallico’s most critically successful work.

The first illustrated edition of The Snow Goose, originally published in 1946, is adorned with paintings and drawings by British ornithologist and conservationist Sir Peter Scott, son of Captain Scott of the Antarctic.

Gallico and Scott were friends and the character of Philip Rhayader in the book is loosely based on Scott, who lived in a lighthouse on the River Nene in the 1930s.

The revered special illustrated edition of 750 copies, signed by the author and illustrator, are now highly collectable.

Rhys Harris-Clarke returns to the Festival Theatre stage following his performance in Alan Bennett’s A Chip in the Sugar in October. He is joined by Daniel Davis and Jennifer Thompson-Chatburn, who also began their acting careers with Malvern Theatres Young Company. The production is directed by Nic Lloyd.