Tag Archives: Ebenezer Scrooge

Writer: Neil Bartlett Director: Mark Calvert Reviewer: Chris Collett Northern Stage’s Christmas shows could never be accused of lacking in ambition. 2016’s James and the Giant Peach and last year’s Alice in Wonderland were supersized affairs performed on cavernous sets, which thrilled audiences with a frenetic mix of live music, physical theatre, and dance. A Christmas Carol uses the same ...

Adaptation: Tom Morris Director: Lee Lyford Designer: Tom Rogers Music/lyrics: Gwyneth Herbert Reviewer: Julia Beasley Could this be the perfect antidote to even the most grudging grinches at yuletide? Bristol Old Vic’s steampunk musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ festive tale has a raucous vibe that will surely banish the Christmas blues. Curmudgeonly money-lender  Ebenezer Scrooge runs a bleak house on ...

Writer: Charles Dickens Adaptor: Nick Lane Music/Lyrics: Simon Slater Director: Paul Robinson Designer: Helen Coyston Reviewer: Ron Simpson A (Scarborough) Christmas Carol stirs up thoughts about the point when a play turns from being “by Charles Dickens adapted by Nick Lane” into “a new play by Nick Lane based on the story by Charles Dickens”. Despite amending the title Nick ...

Writer: Charles Dickens Adaptor: Deborah McAndrew Director: Amy Leach Reviewer: Ron Simpson Yorkshire’s second version of A Christmas Carol to open this Christmas proves, above all, the wonderful dramatic qualities of the original story. The two productions – by Front Room Productions and, now, by Hull Truck Theatre – have very different production concepts, both extremely successful, but despite the ...

Writer: Charles Dickens, adapted by Olivia Race Director: Olivia Race Producers: Olivia Race, Alice Barber Musical Director: Claire-Marie Seddon Reviewer: Ron Simpson A Christmas Carol seems to be everywhere this year. Fortunately, there seems every chance that the adaptations will all have their own individuality – and that’s certainly the case with this version by Front Room Productions. Early in ...

Music and Lyrics: Alan Menken &Lynn Ahrens Book: Mike Ockrent &Lynn Ahrens Original story: Charles Dickens Director: Kyle Davies Reviewer: Matt Forrest   Panto season is in full swing at this time of year, but fairytales and jolly japes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea so, if you’re looking for something a little different to get your festive juices flowing, then ...

Writer: Charles Dickens Adaptor/Director: Ciaran McConville Reviewer: Fergus Morgan Most productions of A Christmas Carol tend to follow the same tried and tested formula. The bleakness of Ebenezer Scrooge’s life is realised in sparse austerity, while those of his less parsimonious acquaintances are characterised by jubilant dances and festive singing. Scrooge himself usually speaks in miserable monotone, whereas the voices ...

Composer: Carl Davis CBE Artistic Director: David Nixon OBE Choreography: Massimo Moricone Reviewer: Ray Taylor [rating:5] There can be hardly anyone who is not familiar with the story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, a lonely grumpy old man to whom Christmas is ‘Humbug’ and who has no charitable thoughts for anyone else. Then one night he is visited by the ghost ...