A Christmas Carol

‘A Christmas Carol’ by Huddersfield Thespians at Longwood Mechanics Hall, directed by Gareth Dickinson, was a great start to Christmas.  Adapted from the story by Charles Dickens which was first published in 1843 – it’s interesting to note that when the Thespians were established in 1920 – they were actually closer then to the Dickensian times than to modern day. 

The cast was strong with eight of them playing multiple roles (up to seven characters) and all moving seamlessly between them with ease.  The delivery of lines was confident throughout and with no mics very impressive that every performer had clarity with some tricky narrative.  Character changes were supported not only by the change in the actor’s accents and physical presentation, but also with simple costume additions and this, along with the costumes in the whole production, worked effectively.

All of the performers really got into the ‘spirit’ of the roles and I would like to give particular mention to Mark McKever who played both Marley and Marley’s Ghost very well.  Patrick Higgins was very engaging as Fred, but also transitioned with ease to Tiny Tim and Young Scrooge.  Diane Todd was delightful in all her roles, with great facial expressions and energy.  Richard Watson was excellent in the role of Bob Cratchit, along with all of the parts he played and Jenny Taylor, Susannah Tunnacliffe, Katie Screech and Adam Forshaw supported with a vast array of characters to bring the characterisation demanded by any Dickens story to life.

Daniel Hardwick was wonderful as Ebeneezer Scrooge – he gave an empathetic presentation of this wonderful character and we saw the changes in him as he moved through his Christmas’s of the past, present and future.  The energy and physicality he brought to the role was excellent – the audience were able to witness the emotions and development as he began to reflect on the choices he had made in his life and the changes he planned for the future.  An excellent portrayal.

The stage was cleverly used to move from scene to scene with limited changes and the additions of props and furniture was handled efficiently by the crew and cast.  Lighting and special effects were used to create atmosphere and the set build worked very well.  Particular reference must go to the brilliant use of the front door in Scene 3 – very clever to be able to give the image of Marley’s ghost appearing as the door handle in a fixed set.  Congratulations to everyone involved in the design, build and delivery.

Moving to a new venue had presented The Thespians with some technical challenges, but they overcame these and used the space to full advantage, including the auditorium.  I would like to express my congratulations to the Production Team, performers, stage crew and everyone front of house for a very fitting December afternoon’s entertainment.

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