T’is the season to be jolly and from the opening feelgood bars of traditional carols from the candle-bearing carol singers, Charles Dickens iconic A Christmas Carol sparkled with festive cheer and magic. Dickens’ timeless tale of the importance of kindness, looking out for others, and extending a helping hand to those who need it was brought to life by a talented cast with just the right mix of humour, compassion and sensitivity.
With the storyline knitted together by the eccentric, bespectacled Dickens (Oscar York), his authoritative commentary was delivered with charisma in spades. He effortlessly guided the audience through the various scenes, as Scrooge is visited in turn by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, who show him various scenes from each period in his life in a bid to steer him onto a different path. The 38-strong cast delivered performances imbued with the zeitgeist of the time: the sharply choreographed dancing of Fezziwig’s (George Grant) party was a particular highlight as the stage was bathed in colourful, vibrant, toe-tapping energy. Ethan Logue as Scrooge delivered a mature performance, shifting from mean and bitter miser to redeemed soul with nuance and conviction. Other striking performances came from George Gossage as the long-suffering Cratchit, Edward Lefever as the younger Scrooge, while the Ghost of Jacob Marley (Timmy Hatch) replete with heavy, dragged chains created a suitably eerie and spooky atmosphere; the sympathetic Ghost of Christmas Present (Ben Pitman) was appropriately charitable.
The staging – versatile set, clever lighting, authentic costumes, bespoke props and atmospheric sound effects (none more so than the chiming bells) – simply added to the magic. At one moment Scrooge’s gloomy hideout was replaced by the ethereal world of the ghosts, the next the audience was transported straight into Victorian London, bustling pub to formal drawing room. The costumes were particularly memorable: detailed, intricate, and bursting with character: from Dickens’ dapper dress sense, to the extravagant and flamboyant robes and headwear of the Ghosts.
By the end of the play, with the ghosts successful in their mission, Scrooge is a transformed character – charitable, childlike in his warmth, and keen on righting the wrongs that he has exacted on so many: the message of generosity and goodwill landing with full force. It is a spirited celebration of community, and, indeed, the enduring magic of Dickens. As Christmassy as figgy pudding, this production provided a generous dollop of comfort and joy – veritably sprinkled with bells and lights – and as the sustained applause died down from the appreciative audience, it was, indeed, beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, without a humbug in sight.
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