100,000 people expected to attend this year's Thursford show

In Norfolk alone, more than 20,000 attend the show, with thousands more travelling from across the country and further afield to enjoy the annual spectacle.

This year, the show is expected to see 100,000 people attend throughout the six week-run, with some dates already sold out.  

As many as 2,000 tickets are expected to be sold to people abroad.

30pc of people who go to see the show are from Norfolk. (Image: Thursford) John Cushing, who has been the show's producer and director for the past 47 years, described the months of work required to produce a show of Thursford's size and how, after all these years, the emotions are still as raw as they were during the first show.

He said: "I still have to pinch myself when I see where people travel from.

Mr Cushing said he still feels very proud of the show. (Image: Thursford Collection) "Even those who travel across the country, some of them drive seven or eight hours to get here and they pass so many theatres on their way but they choose to keep driving until they get to us."

The gesture is as much a stress for Mr Cushing as it is a compliment to the show's quality. 

He said: "It always makes me worry about if people think the show isn't as good as it used to be so I have to challenge myself every year with how we can make it better."

Despite over four decades of experience in producing the show, Mr Cushing said he still gets anxious when the final preparations begin to come together. 

130 cast members make up the show, which has dubbed it the biggest Christmas show of its kind in Europe. (Image: Thursford) "I still have sleepless nights if something hasn't gone well but I think that's the same for a lot of us. Time and tide waits for no one," he said. 

Considering the number of people who will be visiting Norfolk for the performances, the show plays an important part in boosting the local economy in the build-up to Christmas. 

Mr Cushing added: "So many people will be visiting restaurants and staying in hotels in the area and it's really important, especially for smaller businesses in the winter season."

This year, members of the audience will be treated to 70 pieces of music, a 32-piece orchestra and a cast of 130 performers.

Producing a show of this size requires months of preparation to achieve the high standard for which it is renowned. 

Mr Cushing said: "There is nothing artificial about it. Everything we do every show is live."

Approximately 2,000 tickets are sold to people abroad to come and see the show. (Image: Thursford)

For Mr Cushing, an aspect of the show that is often taken for granted is the effort invested in balancing the sound and lighting.

He said: "That can be intense. Being able to pick all the different sounds of the show and make sure there's a balance for every instrument is a big task.

"But we can't have brilliant dancers and then let them down with bad sound or bad lighting, so there is a lot of effort and patience needed to get that right."

Mr Cushing said everything produced during the show is done so live. (Image: Thursford) Mr Cushing is also frequently asked what aspect of the show is still his favourite, which remains a difficult question to answer. 

"I still love every bit of it," he said, "because I get to choose the music."

Doing it all again

Between the final night of the production's show to when preparations for the next season begin again, Mr Cushing and his team have three weeks to rest. 

There is also a mixture of emotion as the crew begin to look ahead at next year's agenda.

Mr Cushing said: "On the last night of the show, there is this elation that we all feel for what we've achieved and then there's a complete contradiction because we also feel sad that we have to start again. 

"By this point, so many people are in tears but we still love doing it."

The Thursford Christmas Show will run from November 8 to December 23 and tickets can be booked at thursford.com or call 01328 878477.