Scrooge

This was my first visit to SODS and I had been looking forward to seeing Scrooge. It’s a timeless story, which has been told in many different ways, but it gives the clear Christmas message that all human beings have the opportunity to behave in kinder ways towards each other, and as an intro to the Christmas season, this production was a great way to begin.

The excellent orchestra, led by the bouncy James Green, began their opening piece and the curtains opened; we were greeted with a colourful array of period costume and a range of characters representing Victorian British culture. The ensemble presented a great range of voices. I could hear the harmonies and see the joy of a company who have missed performing. The brass aspect of the orchestra added to the Christmas feel.

The main set was black which worked well for all scenes that were brought to life with stage furniture. Scene changes were efficiently made by a team of backstage crew that worked well. There are several scene changes in the play but scene differentiation was clear.

There were a few technical issues which I will talk about briefly, as they were insignificant when compared to the overall feel and talent showcased in the show. There was a little crackling of a microphone and some slow pick-ups. This meant that we sometimes missed the first line of the songs. This was a shame, particularly when the children sang, as they didn’t get as much stage time as the adults. Poor Tiny Tim lost his mic pack in the finale but he held on to it quite professionally. I was disappointed with a couple of the props. The Turkey used in more than one scene was a card board representation which detracted from the action, as I heard a few people around me point it out. In the finale it was supposed to be the prize Turkey ‘as big as the boy’ but sadly it was not. The Celebration Cake that appeared at Fezziwig’s Party was also a little disappointing.

This adaptation of Scrooge is very ‘Scrooge heavy’ and Les Cannon did a wonderful job of bringing the character to life. His speaking voice and singing voice was good and sustained the character throughout. I enjoyed the way Les developed Scrooge’s character, transforming from a miserly self-centred money lender to a joyful philanthropist. There was an awful lot for Scrooge to do while singing and acting, from using prop candles to entirely changing his clothing, but Les coped with these distractions well. I thought the pace could have been a little quicker in places but that is a constraint of the time it takes to change scenes and for the actors to wait for the music.

Bob Cratchit was played by John Staines, a friendly, gentle character who balanced the love of his family with his very demanding employer. John did a good job of portraying this character and had a smooth tone to his singing voice that suited the character very well.

Jacob Marley was the first Ghost we met. He was very scary and this was reflected in the excellent sound and lighting effects. Ross Howard represented Jacob well and his stature and poise reflected the character of a man trapped by the chains of his bad deeds. It was a shame that his hair obstructed his face. His make up was scary and skeletal.

Jennifer Stacey played the Ghost of Christmas Past and also other characters in the show. She has a good stage presence and a clear sweet tone that represented the warmth of the Ghost and also the love of Scrooge’s own sister.

Jess Byford played the Ghost of Christmas present well. Her costume of green satin and her jovial manner gave good impact. The programme said the character is usually played by a male but this switch did not detract and Jess did well. Jess also has a wonderful singing voice which was clear and accurate. I enjoyed her London accent and her belly laughs. The Ghost of Christmas yet to come was a non-speaking role but the Sharp representation by Sarah Witney definitely added to the mood.

Other characters that we met along the way were equally strong and added to the depth of talent on the stage. These characters had named roles but were also integral to the ensemble pieces. Paul Alton and Suzanne Walters played Mr and Mrs Fezziwig. Both strong singers and amiable characters who brought the Fezziwig Christmas party to life. I particularly noticed Ewan Dunlop here, he plays Tom Jenkins. In the Fezziwig party his dance skills were showcased with a great leap. Ewan shone as Tom Jenkins, this character connected the story in many places and Ewan’s voice lifted the mood when it had been dark with upbeat songs like Father Christmas, and Thankyou very much.

Amber Satchwell played Isabel who is another well rounded character who looked and sounded beautiful. She too lifted the ensemble pieces as she appeared often on stage. I must mention the lovely Tiny Tim again; What a beautiful solo! Well done Sanjay, you hardly showed any nerves.

George Rowe played Scrooge’s nephew, he gave a solid performance portraying a kind and personable man. Lee Keremezo played the young Scrooge, amongst other characters, and showed Scrooge when he was growing up. He is a strong actor and singer and was very convincing as he started to explain to us how life had changed from a carefree existence to a one where business was more important than life.

In this performance Team Sparkle played the youngest characters, each young person worked hard and kept their characters well. They all had lovely voices and a good stage presence. In the Cratchit family they were supported by Lucy Robinson as Mrs Cratchit. Lucy seemed very young to have quite so many children and I really enjoyed her anger at Scrooge and the relationship with her husband and family.

The SODS company are a great group who obviously enjoy what they do and this shows from the enthusiasm of the musical team, to the professionalism of the technical and backstage crew. Every member of the ensemble gave their best and I could see this in their movement, expressions and in their acting around the main action.  

Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to the Christmas Season. Thank you so much for inviting me.

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