# The Royal Exchange Theatre is dreaming of a Strange Christmas
- Source: The Mancunion (https://staging.mancunion.com/theatre/the-royal-exchange-theatre-is-dreaming-of-a-strange-christmas)
- By: Jay Darcy
- Published: 2021-11-28T01:11:17.000Z
- Section: Theatre
- Topics: Royal Exchange, musical, Royal Exchange Theatre, musicals, RX, RX Theatre, Bryony Shanahan, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, Roy Alexander Weise
**The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart is the Royal Exchange Theatre's annual musical of 2021**

The Royal Exchange Theatre (RX) has had quite the programme since reopening in Jun*e.*

The theatre reopened with *Bloody Elle*, which I gave [a fantastic review](https://mancunion.com/2021/07/06/review-bloody-elle/). This was my first ever RX review - and what a pleasure it was.

New Mancunion writer Aayush Chadha then gave gleefully good reviews of [*Glee & Me*](https://mancunion.com/2021/10/16/review-glee-and-me/) and [*The Mountaintop*](https://mancunion.com/2021/10/16/review-the-mountaintop/?swcfpc=1).

Now, it's my turn again.

I always go to watch the RX's Christmas musical. I caught their last one, *Gypsy*, twice - as did the writer who [reviewed](https://mancunion.com/2020/01/30/review-gypsy/) the show, Ellis Coopey - which is testament to just how good it was.

This, however, will be my first time *reviewing* an RX musical.

![](/media/mancunion/2021/11/RET-The-Strange-Undoing-of-Prudencia-Hart-L-R-Oliver-Wellington-Colin-Smye-Joanne-Thomson-Prudencia-Hart-Image-Chris-Payne-1-1280x854.jpg)
*Photo: Chris Payne.*

Whilst the RX usually adapts famous musicals - recently, it has adapted *Into the Woods*, [*Sweet Charity*](https://mancunion.com/2017/01/01/review-sweet-charity/) and *Guys & Dolls* - they're trying something different this year.

*The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart* is "a wild musical play that sees Scottish folk songs collide with decadent karaoke under the direction of Debbie Hannan."

*Different, indeed!*

Although the RX is one of the most diverse, dynamic and creative theatres in the country, I often feel a little apprehensive about some of their productions. I know that they're going to be good - they're *always* good - but their artistic ambition is so bold that it's enough to scare a theatre critic, you see!

I shouldn't doubt the RX, though: they succeed at everything - and then some.

The theatre's new artistic directors, Bryony Shanahan and Roy Alexander Weise ([the former](https://mancunion.com/2021/03/28/in-conversation-with-bryony-shanahan-artistic-director-of-the-royal-exchange/) of whom we interviewed earlier this year) are continuing to put their print on the theatre - to wonderful results.

![](/media/mancunion/2021/11/RET-The-Strange-Undoing-of-Prudencia-Hart-L-R-Lawrence-Hodgson-Mullings-Corbie-Amelia-Isaac-Jones-Corbie-Malin-Lewis-MD-Image-Chris-Payne-1280x857.jpg)
*Photo: Chris Payne.*

Anyway, enough about me - here's the synopsis!

"Oozing with wit, passion, seduction and sambucas, this show is a riotous mix of rhyming couplets, live music and a glimpse of the underworld.

"It’s the winter solstice and lover of old things and traditional ways, Prudencia Hart, fresh from her PhD, is conference bound. In a hot stuffy hall on the borders, she shares her theories on Hell in folk literature. But, as the snow falls thick and fast the small-town flings off its folk traditions, dumps Robert Burns for a bit of Kylie, and grabs the karaoke mic with both hands. The night gets increasingly raucous and it's astonishing what Prudencia will discover between the snow and the vodka shots - not least, what she finds out about herself."

I'm sold. Confused - but sold.

Stay tuned for my inevitably good review of *The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart*, which plays at the [Royal Exchange Theatre](https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/whats-on-and-tickets/the-strange-undoing-of-prudencia-hart) from 4th December until 15th January.