Book and Lyrics: Ricky Graham, with additional material by Yvette Hargis and Jeffery Robertson
Music: Jefferson Turner
Writer: Charles Dickens
Director: Emily Susanne Lloyd
Up and down the country theatregoers will be taking in Charles Dickens’ timeless classic that certainly needs 
no introduction – A Christmas Carol. Scrooge’s journey to redemption has fascinated us for the best part of two centuries and there are no doubt hundreds of these productions delighting audiences again this winter.
The Old Joint Stock likes to do things differently. Their second Christmas musical production, the UK premiere of Scrooge in Rouge, is bold, playful, and audacious—all the words you wouldn’t typically associate with Dickens’ dark and subdued story.
This musical production is a show about the show. As the audience enters, we see the cast completing their vocal warm-up as they prepare for their big moment. The Royal Music Hall players certainly intended for their version of A Christmas Carol to follow the same path as the original story. But everything changes when the well-timed work party leaves 17 of the 20-strong cast suffering from food poisoning. With no time to plan and the beginners’ call already announced, the stage lights shoot up and the chaos starts to unfold. A trio of unprepared, yet undaunted actors try their very best to present the story in the way we all know.
What follows is a truly comedic show to make you laugh out loud. Missed cues, costume malfunctions (protect your eyes), and a hatful of double-entendres make this production a hilariously hammy experience as the trio attempt to soldier on through any adversity that they face on stage. Musical numbers are witty and naughty which brings extra energy to the overall show, while audience interaction is also common. Expect cast members to climb over you and even sit on your lap!
The troublesome trio is tasked with performing every role which naturally poses many challenges. It is the actual cast for Scrooge in Rouge who deserve immense credit though. While it may be difficult to follow who is playing who at times this matters not as it is the personalities of the original characters which shine through and make us all laugh repeatedly.
Iona Crampton (Vesta Virile) plays the most serious of the three as she tries to organise and keep the story running as it should. Her sternness is intimidating to the others and makes for enjoyable arguments on stage. Her portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge brings a small dose of normality to an otherwise absurd series of events.
Ollie West (Charlie Schmaltz) plays the self-described character actor and offers many comedic moments with his failed attempts at playing each of his roles with professionalism. His portrayal of the heavily chained Marley is a particular highlight, especially when he has to drag the chains to the opposite side of the stage to find the right position.
James Steventon is a standout as the delightful diva ‘Miss Lottie Obbligato’. His flamboyancy makes for an exceptional character for the audience to connect with and his hilarious portrayal of some of the roles will leave you in tears; but that could also be put down to the ill-fitting costumes he has to wear.
The vastly different personalities of the trio complement each other well and really make this production what it is. By the end of the show, the mishaps and silliness can feel a touch overdone, and it could be shorter to help pace this better. You are unlikely to leave thinking you have watched the most ground-breaking piece of theatre in your life, but you will certainly be thoroughly entertained and beaming from ear to ear.
Runs until 30 December 2024
