A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol must be part of the GCSE curriculum judging by the large number of students in the audience. What an excellent way for them to see a book they are studying come to life. Mark Gatiss’s adaptation remains faithful to the original tale, yet introduces some changes, such as an opening scene set seven years earlier that depicts Jacob Marley’s demise. Additionally, a narrator is positioned in the corner of the stage, guiding the unfolding events.

A well-constructed set managed to transport us back to a gloomy Victorian scene with Scrooge and Marley’s office on a raised platform. The atmospheric ‘fog’ gave an eerie vibe together with an excellent lighting plot. Set dressing certainly gave us an authentic Victorian street scene. Props were well thought out with fluttery ghosts and macabre skeletal horses. The addition of falling  snow combined with the sounds of heavy rain further enhanced the sombre mood. Costumes were good and authentic.

David Smith as Ebenezer Scrooge was hardly ever off stage and what an excellent job he made of this character from disagreeable miser to a cheery benefactor. Nick Smith as Jacob Marley and Jonathan Hinton as Bob Cratchit couldn’t be faulted. The Ghost of  Christmas Past (Kate Marshall) and The Ghost of Christmas Present (Neill McKenzie) both distinctly portrayed these spooks. This production offers real highlights: lively dancing at Fezziwig’s ball, dramatic scenes at the Cratchit house, and Scrooge’s moving regret. This was a large cast of 16 adults and 7 children who took on multiple roles so it would be impossible to  name everybody individually  but know that each of you were invaluable in your part in the production. What you might not expect in this adaptation is a narrator and David Adams had a wonderful storytelling voice with a surprise at the end that was very touching.

Director Chris Howland brought this well-known Christmas tale to life with the help of his talented cast and skilled production crew. What a wonderful way to celebrate the lead-up to Christmas.

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