A Christmas Carol

There was a very special feel to Redditch Operatic Society’s annual show at the Palace Theatre, as they performed the amateur premiere of Antic Disposition’s version of Charles Dickens’ seasonal classic, A Christmas Carol.  This is a show that has been running at London’s Middle Temple Hall for seven seasons, first being performed in December 2012.  But it has never ventured out of the capital, let alone into the realms of amateur theatre.  It was quite a coup, then, for ROS to secure this premiere, and I was excited to see what they had in store.

The curtains opened onto a very good set, depicting a Victorian London street.  This immediately set the scene perfectly, and the effective staging continued throughout the show as other elements were flown in to depict locations such as Scrooge’s offices, front door (complete with creepy Marley apparition) and parlour.  Atmospheric lighting also enhanced the mood throughout.

As the ensemble gathered on the cobbled streets of old London town, it soon became clear that the songs in this show are all based on well-known Christmas carols, such as ‘Good King Wenceslas’, ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ and ‘We Three Kings’, with the lyrics changed to help tell the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.  This was an interesting approach, and it must have presented quite a challenge to the cast to remember the correct words!  It certainly made for a great atmosphere, as the cast sang a ‘Humbug and Gloom’ medley as Scrooge made his way grumpily about the streets, the lyrics cleverly commenting on his actions.

Edward Stokes has played the character of Ebenezer Scrooge once before and it showed, as he was immediately confident and comfortable in the role, showing very clear and strong characterisation.  His excellent performance anchored the show superbly, providing a solid, familiar characterisation of the famous miser that was instantly recognisable.  It wasn’t long before he was being visited by Jacob Marley (John Reeves, sporting a very impressive hairdo), accompanied by a bevy of capering phantoms who warned Scrooge of the eternal torments that awaited him through song.  There was some very effective choreography, courtesy of Paula Lacey, in this scene, as the phantoms danced around with disconcerting grins on their faces.  

A sprightly, perky Ghost of Christmas Past (Karen Perrey) soon arrived to take Scrooge on a tour of his past.  Younger versions of Scrooge were portrayed by Benjamin Tomkinson (sharing the role of Child Scrooge/Tiny Tim with Felix McKinney at alternate performances), Dimitrious Zacharia and Jason Keley, with his relationships with his sister Fan (Hannah Finch) and lost love Belle (Lucy Goddard) effectively depicted.  I also enjoyed the visit to Mr & Mrs Fezziwig (Sam Smith and Liz Bird), which had a wonderful, warm atmosphere and featured a charming dance sequence.  It was good to see the characters in these scenes dressed in appropriate costume for the period in which they were set – excellent attention to detail from the production team.  Costuming and make-up was very good throughout – essential to maintaining the Dickensian feel of the show.

The sequence of visitations with the Ghost of Christmas Present (Tim Eagleton), provided some of the highlights of the show, as we dropped in on the party of Scrooge’s nephew Fred (Steve Sidaway), and on the household of his long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit  (Matt Brown).  The Cratchit family (Deborah Mitchell, Lucie Barlow, Dimitrious Zacharia and Benjamin Tomkinson as a charming Tiny Tim) sang a wonderful, atmospheric version of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ that sent shivers down the spine.  I also enjoyed the series of visitations to others keeping Christmas in their own way (including a miner, a lighthouse keeper and a ship’s Helmsman), to the tune of ‘Silent Night’, as a candlelit chorus looked on. 

The final visitation is, of course, that of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Phill Sproston), in a dramatic sequence accompanied by some brilliantly atmospheric singing from the chorus.  This featured a very moving scene with the Cratchits following Tiny Tim’s death.  Scrooge’s mounting desperation to discover who lay in the coffin centre stage was very well depicted, as was the final revelation that the gravestone was his, as it was suddenly illuminated in a bright, Beetlejuice-style green. 

The finale, in which, of course, Scrooge saw the error of his ways and was transformed into a better man, melted hearts as always, with the whole cast maximising the emotional impact very effectively.  This was followed by a very nice post-curtain call rendition of ‘Carol of the Bells’, which brought the whole evening to a very satisfactory conclusion.  My congratulations to Director Tony Jay and MD Joe George, for bringing this charming version of A Christmas Carol to the Redditch stage with such skill and vision.  God bless them, every one! 

Chris Davies, Regional Representative District 5

I was absolutely determined to be back home from my trip Down Under in time for the annual musical performed by ROS. A Christmas Carol—in any version—is one of my personal favourites. With this being a brand-new musical, I did wonder whether any of the tunes would feel familiar. I recognised every one of them, even though the lyrics had changed. As Chris mentioned, it must have been quite the challenge to replace words we’ve all known for years with fresh ones, so well done on this.

Edward Stokes was a genuine delight as Scrooge—completely convincing as the infamous miser who eventually finds redemption. The true Christmas spirit shone brightly as his transformation unfolded.

This wasn’t just a West Midlands premiere, but the first performance of this musical anywhere in the country outside London—and the very first amateur production. I sincerely hope to see more societies take on this show in the future.

Thank you so much for the invitation, and I’m already looking forward to seeing everyone at My Fair Lady in 2026!

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands

 

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