The piano is full of feathers to keep the noise down. Irving Berlin liked to write at night and the feathers were his way to dampen the strings so as not to annoy the neighbours. It is also full of feathers, in Jane Livingstone’s play about the writing and impact of White Christmas, to suggest an imminent snow fall – although, oddly, when the singalong finale comes, it is to a flurry of regular stage snow.
Also odd is that a play about the world’s most famous Christmas song should be staged in October. No matter: April Chamberlain’s production has the feel of a show that will be revived in festive seasons to come.
