A Christmas Carol

This was my first visit to the Leven Theatre in Stokesley, home of Crash Bang Wallop Theatre Company but not my first time seeing what they can do having been to numerous shows and being involved in a few of them many moons ago.

This time, audiences were treated to the classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens which is a play about a mean – spirited and selfish old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas.

As you will undoubtedly know, the story is based around one cold Christmas Eve, Scrooge, played incredibly strongly in this production by Chris McCann, is unkind to the people who work for him, then refuses to give to charity, and then is rude to his nephew when he invites him to spend Christmas with him.

When Scrooge gets home, he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner Jacob Marley, played eerily well by Dave Nisbet – and then by three ghosts! They are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.

The Ghost of Christmas Past who was brought to life superbly by Rhianne Kent, takes Scrooge on a journey through Christmases from his past, taking Scrooge to see himself as an unhappy child and a young man more in love with money than his fiancée. The young Scrooge’s were portrayed beautifully well by Jack Sowerby and Joseph Arnott who also doubled up in parts as Bob Cratchit.

The Ghost of Christmas Present is next to show their face who is portrayed really well and strongly by Hermione Wappat. She begins by showing Scrooge his clerk, Bob Cratchit’s family. At Bob Cratchit’s house Scrooge sees Tiny Tim, who is very ill, but full of spirit. The ghost then takes him to see his nephew Fred’s Christmas celebrations - which Scrooge had been invited to but harshly declined.

Finally, we meet the incredibly talented dancer who plays The Ghost of Christmas Future and Mrs Cratchit, Louisa Culley. Her dark stares and sultry movements as the ghost terrifies Scrooge by showing him visions of his own death. In total contrast, we see a warm, kind side to Louisa in her portrayal as Mrs Cratchit.

The ghosts’ journey through time teaches Scrooge the error of his ways. When he wakes up on Christmas Day he is full of excitement, and buys the biggest turkey in the shop for the Cratchit family before spending the day with his nephew, full of the joys of Christmas.

It is impossible to mention everyone involved in this report but just so you know, myself and my wife, along with the audiences thoroughly enjoyed the show so to Caroline Scott (Director/Choreographer) Hannah McCann (Musical Director/Choreographer) and to Chloe Richardson and Louisa Culley (Choreographers), you should all be immensely proud of what you and everyone else created.

I can’t wait to be invited back to see more from CBW.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.