The show must go on, so the old theatrical adage goes. Whether it should or not is the conundrum facing one fading pop star and an artist who are reluctantly joined together by a Simon Cowell-like authority figure in writer/director Jamie Adams‘ new comedy-drama CHRISTMAS & CHAOS.
Sadie (Charlotte Kirk) has the spirit of the likes of Adele and Duffy combined as someone who cracked the pop market with a flourish, but is struggling to make it through to the next level of superstardom. Encountering that ever-present spectre of creative block, desperation has set in. Into the mix comes musical stooge Jasper (Ben McGregor), thrown in with Sadie by musical mogul Spencer Williams (Jason Issacs).
Spencer has a simple goal for them – create three catchy pop songs in a week at a Cornish retreat for a show based on PYGMALION to hit the likes of Broadway and the West End and they will be home free.
Unfortunately, the clash of creative minds and styles, coupled with the arrival of Jasper’s ex-girlfriend and other wannabes, tries its’ damnedest to undermine the specific intention of this venture, not to mention Spencer’s own seemingly secure world which is starting to reveal itself as a house of straw, thus raising the stakes….
The classic “Let’s Put On A Show!!” motif is the basis fo this entertainingly bittersweet affair, coupled with the empathy that one always has for the characters on show. An attractive and embracing cast really hit the right marks in a film that is reflective of the Simon Cowell reality space that we have grown to love over the last twenty-five years.
A West Country-themed ‘LA LA LAND‘ with some amusing moments thrown into the mix in an appealing indie.
CHRISTMAS & CHAOS plays in a ‘World Premiere’ on Sunday 11th October 2026 as the ‘Closing Night Gala’ at the London Independent Film Festival.
Tickets at: https://genesiscinema.co.uk/event/114465