I’ve been struggling with this review since I left Greenwich Theatre last night, unsure of whether I’d just witness a masterclass in stage performance or a relatively dry rendition of a festive favourite. I shall expand; the clue is in the title, and ‘Mr Charles Dickens presents’ means exactly that. For an hour and 35 minutes, John O’Connor in the role of Charles Dickens narrates and performs A Christmas Carol solo on a static stage, as the author himself would have in the mid-1800s. Sound and lighting are used sparingly to create effects such as the weighty chain Marley forged in life, but otherwise this the epitome of a pared back performance.
On the one hand, O’Connor as Dickens is superb. Alone on stage for the duration of the play, O’Connor’s Dickens is jovial and charming and delivers a thoroughly engaging performance. That said, this wasn’t the production of A Christmas Carol that I was hoping for, and I don’t think I was the only one in the audience who felt that way.
For me, A Christmas Carol is Christmas. As a child I watched the 1951 film version at least once a day during the Christmas holidays, and I still ritually watch the Muppet Christmas Carol when I’m wrapping my presents. I studied the text as part of a degree module on Gothic fiction, and I’ve seen numerous stage adaptations. I love the concept that the magic of Christmas can thaw even the coldest curmudgeon – the basis for so many of the festive works that follow – and I delight in the juxtaposition of joy and merriment with the slightly creepy, gothic element of the spirits. Those highs and lows felt lacking with the absence of the full cast of favourite characters that I wanted to meet last night, and rather than leaving full of festive excitement I felt a bit disappointed by the end of the show. I could also sense a few people around me getting a bit restless, and the younger members of the audience in particular didn’t seem to be brimming with Christmassy glee.
It might be that I’m not the intended audience for this play. I’m too high energy, I need lights and colours and undiluted merriment in my Christmas productions. This is a slower rendition that takes a bold step away from the razzle dazzle flashiness of your typical festive performance. With a winning performance by John O’Connor this adaptation will bring a lot of happiness to people who are looking for a more classic retelling, but sadly it wasn’t for me.
Reviewer: Zoe Meeres
Reviewed: 19th December 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★