Georgia Geary, artistic director of The Mill Arts Centre, on the first ever festive production arriving at the Banbury venue

As a relative newcomer to The Mill (I started in spring 2013) it was a huge decision to programme a Christmas show into our winter schedule.

This is the first year that The Mill has not been shut for the two-week festive period… and I think it’s one of the best things we have ever done.

The reason I am confident in saying that is down to this magical show, The Ballad Of Rudy. I saw it last year at the Chelsea Theatre in London, and was completely blown away. Although don’t get me wrong — it was certainly a gamble to bring it to Banbury! There are so many well-known festive productions which we could have gone with — a traditional pantomime like Cinderella, or a classic ballet such as The Nutcracker.

However, everyone has seen those productions a hundred times. And The Mill always strives to bring something unique and special to our community, which is why I thought Rudy was perfect. It’s funny and endearing, and features a number of original songs which will get your feet tapping in the auditorium.

It’s a wonderful story all about being ‘different’ from everyone else, and really learn to accept and embrace just being yourself. It’s a fantastic message which everyone can relate to — whether you’re at primary school or if you’re 90 years old.

Not only that, the music is outstanding. I’ve never seen a children’s production which incorporates jazz music — and it works perfectly. There are only three actors in the show, and they are all incredibly talented. I don’t want to give anything away, but the number of instruments they play within 50 minutes is truly phenomenal.

We opened last week, and the response from the public has been overwhelming. Children absolutely love Rudy’s passion and humour, and adults appreciate the originality of the story and the beautiful visual effects.

The staff at The Mill have also been a powerful force in helping Rudy become a success — considering this is their first year working over the Christmas period, they have all thrown their heart and soul into promoting the show at every opportunity. I could not be prouder at how everyone has worked so hard as a team.

My Christmas wish this year, is that The Ballad Of Rudy continues to delight audiences over the next few weeks, and that we are able to bring another festive treat to The Mill in 2015.

The Ballad Of Rudy is at The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury until December 31