The reviews are in for Birmingham Rep and Sadler's Wells' brand-new The Snowman, which played its first home run at the Birmingham Rep until 1 November and now heads to London's Peacock Theatre for Christmas. Will Tuckett's production rebuilds the Rep's 1993 staging of Raymond Briggs' wordless tale from the ground up, with a revolving house by Anna Fleischle, a new Snowman costume by Tahra Zafar, puppets by Daisy Beattie and video by Nina Dunn, all set to Howard Blake's score. The critics who saw it in Birmingham were close to unanimous: the flight to 'Walking in the Air' is the showstopper, Andrew Ashton's Snowman and Tate Masuku's Boy won them over, and the only real reservation, from a critic who knew the old version well, concerns a slimmed-down North Pole in the second act.
4.8 / 5 from 11 criticsThe verdict: eleven reviews of the Birmingham run, and every one of them carries a rating. WhatsOnStage, West End Best Friend, the Bromsgrove Standard, DLUXE Magazine, Jackstage, Theatre and Tonic, Fairy Powered Productions, Beyond the Curtain and The Theatre Flyer all give it five stars; The Stage and Elemental Theatre give it four. That is an average of 4.8 out of 5. The flying sequence, Andrew Ashton's Snowman and the puppetry are praised almost everywhere; the one dissent worth noting is over a second act that has lost some of the old North Pole characters.
What are critics saying about The Snowman?
WhatsOnStage
"Like meeting an old friend who has had a makeover"
Reviewer: Diane Parkes
Diane Parkes, who knows the Rep's long-running original, welcomes the overhaul: puppets in place of costumed animals, two mischievous youngsters in place of Jack Frost, and Nina Dunn's video turning the flight into an immersive trip to the Northern Lights. She calls Andrew Ashton's Snowman loveable and Tate Masuku's Boy full of gusto.
"…an updated production of The Snowman which continues to enchant audiences but with a new vibrancy and freshness…"
West End Best Friend
"A truly magical production"
Reviewer: Tara Whenray
Tara Whenray marvels at how much the show asks of its young lead, who is on stage almost throughout, flown in a harness and working with puppets and a moving set. She finds the projection adds to Anna Fleischle's solid, turning house rather than replacing it, and singles out the live orchestra and the 'Walking in the Air' sequence.
"A truly magical production that brings a beloved story to life with breathtaking moments, beautiful storytelling and wonder for all ages."
Bromsgrove Standard
"As enchanting as it gets"
Reviewer: Euan Rose
Euan Rose thinks replacing a staging that ran for nearly 30 years was a risk worth taking. He has praise for Teague Applegate's Dad and Father Christmas, Tasha Chu's Mum, Andrew Ashton's Snowman and Aaron Smyth as the Flying Snowman, and reports that his young granddaughter watched it all in wide-eyed silence.
"…this is a show so packed full of wonder and magic, it’s more delightful than a box of your favourite chocolates."
DLUXE Magazine
"A magical, heart-warming festive spectacle for all ages"
Reviewer: Kevin Urquhart
Kevin Urquhart credits artistic director Joe Murphy with assembling Tuckett, Fleischle and Zafar, and is charmed by a Snowman who can blink. He enjoys the stage tricks of the first act and the dancing of the second, and describes a press night that ended with the audience clapping along and on its feet.
"The kids will love the magic, whimsy and humour; the adults will appreciate the skilled dancing and production feats."
Jackstage
"A flurry of festive magic"
Reviewer: Tom Homer
Tom Homer enjoys the classical ballet Tuckett weaves through the ensemble and notes how calmly Tate Masuku rode out a small technical hitch on the night. He thinks the design genuinely brings Briggs' pencil drawings to life, and that the short running time makes it a good first show for young children.
"An elegant reminder of the power of theatre, the joy of storytelling, and the magic of a family Christmas."
Theatre and Tonic
"Playful, inventive, beautifully performed and full of heart"
Reviewer: Katie
Katie admires how much physical storytelling Andrew Ashton manages inside an enormous costume, and how restrained the video is, supporting the performers rather than drowning them. In the second act she picks out Teague Applegate's balletic Father Christmas and the duet for Kynda Ng and Alice O’Brien as Skadi and Frosti.
"This production is pure nostalgia, but it never relies on nostalgia alone."
Fairy Powered Productions
"Magical, moving and utterly enchanting"
Reviewer: Emma Millward
Emma Millward loves the cat puppet and the comic bedroom scene where the Snowman tries on the sleeping parents' clothes, and praises the five-piece orchestra under Andy Massey. The take-off to 'Walking in the Air', greeted with cheers, brought her to tears.
"There is a lovely balance of humour, adventure and emotion, making it accessible and engaging for younger audiences…"
Read Emma Millward’s full review at Fairy Powered Productions
Beyond the Curtain
"This new production of The Snowman is a triumph"
Reviewer: Sarah
Sarah finds the sketched, muted designs true to Briggs' illustrations and calls the puppetry exquisite, with the puppeteers seeming to vanish. Her highlight is the flight, which takes in rooftops, glaciers and a blue whale and drew gasps from all ages.
"Beautifully designed, flawlessly performed and overflowing with imagination, it captures the heart of Raymond Briggs' classic while adding fresh theatrical magic."
The Theatre Flyer
"A timeless magical experience for all ages"
The Theatre Flyer's critic, who remembers the cartoon's first broadcast in 1984, admires the revolving house and the high-tech effects that keep a warm storybook feel. The flying scene, played across a transparent screen, gives the sequence an almost three-dimensional pull, and the show ends with snow falling over the audience.
"A truly magical production that brought back childhood memories and reminded me why The Snowman has always been such a special part of Christmas."
Elemental Theatre
"A four-star technical triumph"
Reviewer: Thomas Levi
Thomas Levi, who gave last year's version one star, thinks almost every complaint has been fixed: the scene changes flow, the projections respond to the Boy, and Chris Fisher's floating fruit is his favourite addition. His reservation is the North Pole, where he misses Jack Frost and the individual snowmen, and feels Father Christmas is given too little ceremony.
"The scenery, lighting, illusions and flight finally deliver the spectacle this story deserves."
Also reviewed by: The Stage (Anya Ryan, four stars, "Every bit as magical as ever"), whose review sits behind a registration wall.
For more on the London season, read our guide, everything you need to know about The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre, and see the first production photos from Birmingham Rep. This morning's other roundup covers the RSC's Middlemarch.
The Snowman is booking at the Peacock Theatre from 21 November 2026 until 3 January 2027.
