A Christmas Carol – Dominion Theatre
With just two weeks of rehearsal, the London Musical Theatre Orchestra's 24 musicians and a small, hardworking cast have created a festive fantasia for all the family against the odds. Sadly, the move of London into tier 3 means this show closes today, along with all others recently opened or reopened.
There have been many adaptations of the Dickens novel of Christmas redemption, including a number of musicals. This one, composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and book by Mike Ockrent. It is unabashedly sentimental alongside scenes bordering on the horrific. Even in a semi-staged concert version, these elements are not neglected.
Ebenezer Scrooge is played in this version by the versatile Brian Conley, a performer who captures both the sardonic monstrosity of the miser and...