When double act Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser answered our recent Rarely Asked Questions they spoke enthusiastically about their love of Vic and Bob. They didn't really need to spell it out though. Their seasonal spectacular Christmas Thing is brimming over with the smell of Reeves and Mortimer. Sometimes in a very good way, sometimes in a slightly too derivative way. But overall this is the ultimate festive fun show. You'd have to be a stone-hearted Grinch or a Guardian critic not to enjoy it. 

 

Clarkson and Visser certainly cram a lot into their stupendously silly 90-minute set. The concept is that they are presenting a classic Christmas Bing and Bowie TV special, but because they don't have the budget or the ability to bring stars back from the dead they have to pluck their guests from the audience. The interactive aspect is there from the very start when we are invited to write down what our special talents are just as we've sat down. Via QR codes of course. Very modern. 

 

Another more trad old school subplot is about goat-demon Krampus trying to steal their Christmas Thing - the seasonal good cheer in a box onstage. This narrative arc conveniently comes into its own towards the end when they run out of talented volunteers.

 

It's audience participation of the very lightest kind though. A lot of emphasis is put on the fact that if you don't want to take part you don't have to. Just say no kids. Though some people were picked out by the camera without their consent and had their faces plastered onscreen Coldplay-style, so let's hope they were with the person they should have been with.

 

The gags fly at you thick and fast. Clarkson is the snappy frontman while Visser mainly sits behind a desk and controls the tech. Blink and you'll miss a visual gag coming at you from all sorts of places. There was something announcing something about it being Bring Your Turkey To Work day tomorrow but I was too distracted by some comic footage onscreen. 

 

There's a lovely running joke about a fictional old time celebrity, Frankie Spangles, and a lovely batch of gags when they watch a doc about Spangles on 'Thingflix'. Perennially pipe-smoking smoothie Spangles is played on film by Peter Serafinowicz and its a tribute to Clarkson and Visser that they aren't entirely upstaged by him. Several other household names also have video cameos, but to reveal who would spoil the moments. 

 

On the opening night the amateur guests were definitely up for pitching in and having fun, whether it was pronouncing a Welsh place name, doing the splits or gargling while singing a song. You'd almost think they were press night plants, but I'm pretty sure they were legit. 

 

As well as the Vic and Bob influence there's a definite Saturday morning kids TV vibe. Imagine Ant and Dec fronting Tiswas (ask your dad...). Everything is thrown into the mix apart from some phantom flan flinging. There's a puppet that is decidedly, shall we say, Muppetesque.

 

Christmas Thing is a really fun show – probably even more fun if you avail yourself of the £7.50 for unlimited mulled wine and mince pies deal on offer. The deal was so appealing I nearly considered staying in the bar when the second half began. but I'm glad i didn't. While you can see some of the gags a mile away, there are also plenty of surprises to keep your chuckling throughout this Big Night In.