A Christmas Carol Archives - North West End UK

21Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

A Christmas Carol – Birmingham Rep

Vanity publishing, which in recent years has metamorphosed into the far more respectable “self-publishing”, was once a much frowned upon indulgence reserved for potty poets and rich romantic novelists who didn’t need to make any money. However, it seems a number of well-known titles emerged from the self-funding route - “Paradise Lost”, “Sense and Sensibility”, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” and Charles Dickens himself wasn’t beyond dipping into his pocket and splurging a few shillings to get a book on the shelves. His investment in A Christmas Carol would make many modern day self-publishers jealous - having never been out of print since 1843. Scrooge must be one of the most portrayed characters on stage and screen after Sherlock Holmes and Jesus and has been played by all and sundry. The ...

13Nov

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

A Christmas Carol – Hull New Theatre

“One magical night” were the first three words of the press release describing the well-known story, A Christmas Carol, ahead of Northern Ballet’s run of the Charles Dickens’ classic at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. Those same three words aren’t praise enough to describe what we theatregoers witnessed when this amazing company took to the stage. It was sheer perfection - from the opening snowy scenes of Victorian life, to the closing joyous scene amidst the falling snow. The famous story, set in Victorian Leeds for this production, focuses on miserly money-lender Ebenezer Scrooge who is shown the error of his ways after visits from three spirits, Christmas Past, Present and Future. It’s a gloomy start, with the funeral procession of Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob ...

Northern Ballet: A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum

9Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Northern Ballet: A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum

Northern Ballet’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ is infused with festive wonder and spectacle, but is ultimately haunted by ghosts of an unwillingly bygone era, suffering in real-time, solemnly foreboding a future of split community and chairs belonging, but not occupied. There is an abundance of talent on display in this show, with some excellent set pieces and performances. It works well between large and small scale, with seamless interplay between soloists and group dancers. Even its transitional qualities in and out of scenes is impressive. This piece is both large and small, but for all the right reasons, it usually feels large. The design of the show is fantastic, with an immensely adept understanding of transformative set design and utility. Wardrobe excels in many areas, with the Ghost...

23Nov

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

A Christmas Carol – Old Vic

Dickens' classic tale of redemption, empathy and love remains a powerful and timely reminder of the gross discrepancies between rich and poor. Seeing the intense deprivation many Londoners were experiencing, Dickens took up his pen and created Scrooge, a character whose name has become synonymous with miserliness. First published in 1843, the message of A Christmas Carol sadly remains just as valid in 2023. Ebenezer Scrooge is a man alone whose only love is money who literally receives a wake-up call on where his life will end up if he doesn't change his ways. Berated by a harsh father who showed no love to his son, but inculcated in him a need to pursue wealth, Scrooge leaves Belle, the love of his life and a secure position with Belle's father to take up an opportunity as Marle...

A Christmas Carol – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

21Nov

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The Christmas season is well and truly on now, with Altrincham Garrick’s performance of A Christmas Carol kicking off the festive roster. This production had flashes of theatrical excellence, but sadly there were a number of areas that just didn’t capture the audience in the way director Barry J C Purves would perhaps have wanted. The lead antagonist, Jonathan Black as Ebenezer Scrooge, gave a fantastically nuanced and well-delivered performance - the audience really bought into him in the first act as the well-known miser who struck fear into the heart of the people of Victorian London, yet in the second act you could really believe his redemption after seeing the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Given the supernatural nature of the story, it was a difficult narrati...

<strong>Mark Gatiss’ retelling of Dickens’ winter ghost story returns</strong>

21Mar

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Mark Gatiss’ retelling of Dickens’ winter ghost story returns

Marley was dead: to begin with. Following a phenomenally successful premiere season in 2021, Mark Gatiss’ retelling of Dickens’ winter ghost story returns to Nottingham Playhouse as well as the hauntingly atmospheric Alexandra Palace for Christmas 2023. Filled with Dickensian, spine-tingling special effects, prepare to be frightened and delighted in equal measure as you enter the supernatural Victorian world of A Christmas Carol. It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge has an unexpected visit from the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley. Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn’t too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face thr...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Shakespeare North Playhouse</strong>

2Dec

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Shakespeare North Playhouse is one of the most stunning venues in the country, there is absolutely no doubt about that. Home to the only timber-built “cockpit” theatre outside London, it was built throughout lockdown and is an experience unlike anything else you can find in the North West. The play is a mixture of modern and traditional costumes, dialogue, movement and northern references, and is a pantomime musical with original songs delivered by the four actor-musicians. The folk music involved at least 10 instruments, all played by the incredible multi-skilled ensemble and musically directed by Jessica Dives. Even for a pantomime there was a lot of audience involvement, with some exciting things for us to do during the performance. I don’t want to spoil the surprises, but the kids i...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Hull Truck Theatre</strong>

30Nov

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

A Christmas Carol – Hull Truck Theatre

The "snow" that fell at the end of Hull Truck Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol, on Tuesday evening, was the icing on a quite unusual theatrical cake. There can't be anyone alive today who doesn't know Charles Dickens' story of the miserly Scrooge and his visitations from three spirits which leads to him changing his greedy ways. Well, in a rather novel move, British Sign Language (BSL) runs throughout this production, having two deaf actors in lead roles. Hull-born Adam Bassett (Bob Cratchit) and Emma Prendergast (Mrs Cratchit) used sign language to communicate, as did the rest of the cast, who must be congratulated on their BSL skills. Also, to be congratulated are the set and costume designers who created the perfect atmosphere of wealth, hardship, fun, fear and sadn...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House</strong>

17Nov

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House

Charles Dicken’s famous ‘Christmas Carol’ is one of the most memorable and most loved Christmas stories of all time and the Chapterhouse Theatre’s latest touring production of Dicken’s famous festive offering is a true to the book recount. Staged inside the Smaller Pavilion Theatre at Buxton Opera House, The Chapterhouse Theatre have returned once again with their Christmas Carol Production for another year keeping true to the 19th century tale and as a result; it’s the perfect production to go and see if you’re studying Christmas Carol at school or college. It’s quite a stripped back production with quite sparse hand painted props and backdrops which may seem reminiscent of a school production, but this adaptation has real heart and the team use what props and sets they have to get ...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Gladstone Theatre</strong>

11Nov

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Gladstone Theatre

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘A Christmas Carol’ whether you read it, rewatch an old film or better still see it live at a theatre! There are many versions, but West Kirby Musical Theatre Company is presenting one I haven’t seen before at The Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight until Saturday. Book and lyrics by Chris Blackwood and music by Piers Charter-Robinson, who give us the same familiar Dickens’ story but with lots of new tunes and a few additional characters. In the main the songs are very good, reminiscent of Oliver! Scrooge! and others – some with lyrics so fast and furious it was like a Gilbert and Sullivan libretto and a challenge for any performer. Yet others were melodic and memorable. Perhaps, as the show lasted nearly three hours, there could have been a few less...