Thurlby Domain provided a charmed backdrop for director Caroline Hutchison's retelling of Oscar Wilde's classic fairy tale The Selfish Giant - staged in perfect conditions at the once grand homestead's ruins on Saturday.
"I've always loved that story since hearing it as a child on Children's Requests on Sunday morning radio. I wanted to primarily tell the story in a glorious setting but in a simple way - with live `old' Irish music, a narrator and cast of Victorian children," Mrs Hutchison, of Queenstown, said.
"I always knew the giant should be a stilt-walker and then thought that Snow, Frost, Wind and Hail could also be stilt-walking characters - and thanks to Milly Begley (Snow) from Flame Fire Productions they became a spectacular addition to the storytelling.
"Queenstown has so many talented people and I was lucky to have the talents of Ken Turner, a film props maker who made the trees that turn from spring to winter and provided the snow."
Mrs Hutchison describes The Selfish Giant as "a timeless classic" - one she hopes to share with Wakatipu families for years to come.
"The audience really appreciated a family show which gives a sense of the spirit of Christmas - of kindness and giving - and not of the commercial side of Christmas.
"This time of year can be very stressful for families. I hope The Selfish Giant was in some small way an antidote to that," Mrs Hutchison said.
More than 300 people attended the midday show, which raised more than $800 for the newly formed Special Olympics Wakatipu.
Photos by Matt Stewart; prints available from otagoimages.co.nz.
