The Canterbury Tales’ special Christmas adventure this weekend, which takes children on a time travelling exploration, was created and written by CBeebies' Callum Donnelly, from Kent.

Santa Claus has been transported back in time to the Middle Ages and it’s up to his young visitors to rescue him and bring him back to 2017 in time for Christmas. Visitors will be guided through a series of festive activities on the medieval streets of The Canterbury Tales with songs, games and dressing up along the way – plus a visit to Santa’s grotto and a gift at the end.

Here, Callum tells us about his creation and the inspiration behind it.

What is the idea behind Magical Medieval Christmas?

I was approached to create a festive event that was also an adventure. The Canterbury Tales is set in 1395 so it made perfect sense to make it a time travelling adventure. Father Christmas has been transported back in time and the children must save him in time for Christmas. The final event has become a sort of Crystal Maze for kids! I love writing for young audiences so working on Magical Medieval Christmas has been great fun. There will be plenty of laughs for children and adults alike.

What can families expect from the experience?

Families head back to the Middle Ages through a magic time portal. They are guided through and must complete group tasks which relate to the spirit of Christmas. For each successful task they receive a badge. As they venture through the attraction they’ll collect badges, find Father Christmas, save him and bring him back to the present.

So it does include a trip to Santa’s grotto?

Oh yes, but it’s not your run of the mill grotto and it’s not just a case of queuing up to meet Santa – it makes meeting Father Christmas into a real event. The interactive, playful nature of it will be really special. They’re not only meeting Father Christmas, which is magic in itself, they are finding him and saving him too.

Has the location influenced what you’ve created?

The Canterbury Tales attraction lends itself perfectly to this kind of event because the space is designed for visitors to follow a journey. Each room has a different feel to it which we’re using to enhance the experience – there’s a cosy tavern, a rustic stable, a bustling street scene. I’ve always felt that as you enter The Canterbury Tales you’re cut from reality and transported into another world.

How well did you know The Canterbury Tales?

I worked at The Canterbury Tales for five or six years so I know it very well. I took on the acting and performance elements of the experience. I rewrote the script and I created a special event called The Canterbury Tales Live. I also wrote and directed the Halloween event Terrible Tales. For the past five years I've been writing and performing with comedy trio The Three Half Pints, who have also been on Justin’s House and we wrote one of the episodes. We've also written and performed CBeebies’ Spot Bots, playing The Odd Bod Aliens, but after completing our third national tour have decided to go our separate ways to pursue our own projects.

DETAILS

Magical Medieval Christmas is at The Canterbury Tales on Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17. Visit canterburytales.org.uk for more information and to book tickets at £6 for adults, £12 for children and £33 for a family, or call 01227 696002.

The guided experience lasts around 45 minutes and will run instead of the usual tours this weekend.