“With its metaphysical musings and theological underpinnings, the poem will never replace "The Night Before Christmas" or the seasonal pageant at Radio City Music Hall. But Auden's is a Christmas that can glimpse redemption even in the trivialization of Christmas, in the frantic shopping, distracted gaiety and unsuccessful attempts, as he says, to love all of our relatives. This is a Christmas for the day after Christmas. This is a Christmas for grown-ups.”
Peter Steinfels, The New York Times, 1990
Auden’s poem is a lesser-known work. This sprawling, metaphysical masterpiece is both representative of the works of classic literature as well as a poem for our modern sensibilities. It is a dramatic work, making it a perfect fit for a stage adaptation. It moves through acts like a play, with themes of hope, fear, regret, and the preternatural knowledge that something great and miraculous is tinged with impending loss. This play is a welcome addition to the usual holiday fare offered and provides an opportunity for audiences to become acquainted with a lesser-known work of one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.
