"A Christmas Carol"

Dickens’s original novella has seen many reincarnations, a 1951 film with Alastair Sim perhaps the best of many screen versions and then in 1970 Leslie Bricusse added music in the film “Scrooge”, later seen on stage. Northern Ballet also have a charming version in their repertoire, another film is apparently due out shortly and an excellent production has occupied the stage of The Old Vic in London for the last few Christmases.  The Muppets had their own take on it too but it is yet another version, the musical by Alan Menken which is presented here, playing to full houses all week.

The story mainly follows the one with which we are familiar, although here there is a brief reference to Scrooge’s father and his being sent to a debtors’ prison, a fate which apparently befell Dickens’s own father. The various ghosts who appear to Scrooge during the story are first encountered in human form as a lamplighter, a ring-master and a beggar woman.  I feel that the musical score lacks a number which makes the impact of, for example, Bricusse’s “Thank you very much” but the company here did their best with the available material and the director seized every opportunity to create some memorable and colourful scenes with some very effective lighting.  Another pleasure was to see an orchestra of as many as 13 players with strings, woodwind and brass rather than their sounds replicated on keyboards. Sadly, the M.D. is moving on to other things soon and so this was his final show with this group.

The Fezziwigs’ Christmas Ball was one of the highlights, the hosts sporting some colourful and outrageous wigs, as befits their name, I suppose. Greg Roberts and Ali Butler-Hind clearly enjoyed leading the cast in every moment.  “Christmas Together” is probably the most joyful number and the company certainly made the most of it.  The Ghost of Christmas Present was a circus ring-master in his previous life and so a number of the sort of entertainers you would expect there provided another colourful scene, some aspects of which extended into the auditorium.  Chris Hagyard was in fine form in this important role.  Perri Ann Barley was in good voice as the Ghost of Christmas Past and her illuminated costume perfectly illustrated the words of her song “The lights of long ago”.  The Ghost of Christmas yet to be has the happiest role in that it is he who introduces Scrooge to the pleasures of the Christmas season and John Mulholland showed all the necessary qualities. The Cratchit family is perhaps less visible in this version than in some but Kristian Barley (Bob) and Erin Greenley (his wife) made the most of their opportunities, as did their children, eight of them here, four having been inherited after Bob’s brother and his wife apparently passed away, a good way of allowing more youngsters to take part.  Alice Atang had the key role of Tiny Tim and her lovely smile made her performance all the more memorable.

Steve Tearle as the ghost of Jacob Marley turned up in more scenes than we might usually expect but the fact that he was there to keep an eye on much of the action, often using the elevated section of the simple but effective set, was quite appropriate. After all, his other role is that of producer! His song “Link by link” provided another memorable scene, his white suit complemented by completely white surroundings and some children appearing as white, furry spirits too. Finally, turning to Scrooge himself, this is an enormous part as he is seldom, if ever, off stage as the ghosts escort him around past, present and future.  Kit Stroud played this part with confidence and just the right amount of the “bah, humbug” approach, before seeing the light towards the end.

This society can always be relied upon to set the atmosphere for its productions as soon as you pass through the gates of the theatre’s grounds and, despite being the coldest night of the winter so far, we were welcomed by several members of the company, Santa Claus and even a piper. They must have been glad that their Victorian costumes provided some warmth and thankful that the show was not one set in the tropics like “South Pacific” with costumes to match. They certainly gave us a warm welcome to ensure we were immediately in the Christmas spirit but how they managed to extend this so that the Leslie Bricusse song I mentioned above was played on the radio during my journey home and we awoke to a dusting of snow the next morning is all a mystery.  Thank you all very much!    

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.