Anomaly’s satirical retelling of The Twelve Days of Christmas, narrated by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Date
13 December 2016
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Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

What would really happen if your true love gave you a partridge in a pear tree, and the rest of the gifts from The Twelve Days of Christmas? According to the lead character in Anomaly’s short animated film The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery, “a complete f**ing nightmare”. Written, directed, animated and produced in-house by Anomaly with illustrations by Rob Hunter, the film tells with wry humour the modern day repercussions of receiving 12 drummers drumming, six geese a-laying, etc. and its effects on a relationship.

The film is narrated hilariously by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, writer and star of the series Fleabag and Crashing, telling the protagonist’s tale with brilliant dryness and expert comic timing. On receiving the first gift she begins: “I didn’t ask for it and I have no room for it, not that I’m ungrateful but it seemed overly extravagant and maybe a bit weird.” Later, when the eight maids a-milking turn up, she recounts with increasing despair: “They say love is blind, but in this case love had made him blind to basic human rights protocol. I called Amnesty International.”

Oli Beale, executive creative director at Anomaly, says about the reasons behind making the film: “If we find something interesting or funny or entertaining or bird-related, we just like to make it. This is our gift of entertainment to the nation this Christmas.”

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

Above

Anomaly: The 12 Days Of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery

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Jenny Brewer

Jenny oversees our editorial output across work, news and features. She was previously It’s Nice That's news editor. Get in touch with any big creative stories, tips, pitches, news and opinions, or questions about all things editorial.

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