Where is the last place you expect to find Father Christmas? One answer might be on the set of the new Kick-Ass movie – the follow up to 2010’s super violent story about a slaughtering superhero father and daughter. But there is Father Christmas, telling off a super villain for waving his gun about dangerously.

Only of course it’s not the real Santa, just actor Trevor Allan Davies, who is currently starring as the big man in the Playhouse’s Where is Father Christmas?

“Maybe I got both parts because I’ve got a big white beard,” jokes the much-respected stage actor. “Yes they certainly are at different ends of the spectrum.

“It’s a show for very young children,” says Trevor. “It all takes place in the wrapping room – where an older and younger elf work. Things go missing – Sellotape, scissors... something strange is going on. And then they realise Father Christmas is also missing so they try to find him, with the assistance of two penguin detectives.”

Trevor is sounding a happy man and not just because he’s channelling his inner ho-ho-ho.

“We debuted the show in front of some nursery school children, and it’s always difficult to tell how it’s going to go down, but the response was great, very funny, very encouraging – they sat transfixed. I must say director Helen Eastman has nailed it,” smiles Trevor. So what makes the show so magical?

“The set is fabulous. Lots of Christmas colours but very modern, not at all chintzy Victorian. There’s a huge tree made of presents, and the design extends to the bright almost garish costumes and the wonderful puppets. There’s well-known songs and carols sprinkled throughout, including us actors playing a variety of instruments, banjo, ukele, accordion...” So how do you stop fidgety children? “There’s actually loads of activities – the kids get to do colouring, sort parcels – we use every trick in the book. “The entire history of western theatre is used!”

Playing FC must be a bit of a challenge psycholically, how does Trevor make the transformation? “It’s very strange process actually. The other day I recorded an interview for ‘Elf Radio’ – which is played in the background as they come to be seated in the theatre. The assistant director interviewed me and I had no idea what the questions were. It was very odd, and I can only describe it as a possession – the answers just rolled out.”

And so Trevor invites me to try it out. In a journalistic first for me, I am now interviewing Father Christmas.

How do you know if children have been good or bad?

“That’s a trade secret. The only people who know that are me and Mrs Claus. Our other big secret is how we manage to get all around the world to see all the children.” How do you? “I will never tell anyone.”

What do you do on Christmas day?

“I’m so very tired from my hard work, I go to bed and wake up six days later on Epiphany and then Mrs Claus makes me a big turkey dinner.”

What would you like for Christmas?

“I have received very many great gifts over the years – but in time they all break or get lost – just yesterday a favourite umbrella, given to me by Mrs Claus, disappeared. “But it doesn’t matter because it was given with love, and so I still have that. All you need is love.”

Where’s Father Christmas? is on at Burton Taylor Studio until December 30 at various times throughout the day. Call 01865 305305.