A Christmas Carol the Dukes Lancaster Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Dottie Rood
1st December is such a good time to enjoy the classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol. Having seen many variations of this show I was excited to see this version at ‘the Dukes Theatre’ in Lancaster.
A Christmas Carol is a famous adaptation of Charles Dickens tale and was written in 1843 when Charles Dickens wrote and published this very popular story. The original book is in the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan and they put it out on display every year at Christmas time. There are at least 18 film and television shows showing a version of a Christmas Carol (and I’m sure there are many more) and I couldn’t find a figure for how many theatre versions there have been! It is said that the most popular film version is the 1951 adaptation with Alistair Sims, I am sure everyone has their own opinion on this.
Onto this version, which is a musical written by Kate Ferguson and Susannah Pearse, and is advertised as ‘suitable for all ages’ so I didn’t think it would be as scary as many versions that had gone before! We would see!
The Dukes is a small/medium sized theatre with reasonably priced drinks and snacks and a very happy elf to greet us. It had a lovely, welcoming Christmas atmosphere and all the seats appeared to have a good clear view of the stage for all. When we arrived there was Christmas music playing which immediately put you in a festive mood.
The story of a Christmas Carol is well known to most but I will give you a brief outline: Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Gareth Cassidy) is a frugal man who has a strong dislike of anything to do with Christmas and is going to celebrate it on his own (despite an invite from his only nephew, Fred, to have Christmas lunch with him and his wife), he is miserable, mean and very, very grumpy! After going to bed on Christmas eve he is visited by four ghosts, his old partner Jacob Marley, Christmas past (his sister Fanny played by Courtney George), Christmas present (a very happy bright lady on a bicycle played by Miriam O’Brien) and Christmas yet to come (a very large scary figure who didn’t speak just ‘gestured’!). Between them they showed him the error of his ways by visiting the past when he was happy, showing him his clerk, Bob Cratchit and his sick son tiny Tim and family, his nephew and wife and then showing him what would happen in the future if he didn’t change his ways! The only really scary bit was the ghost of Christmas yet to Come and he seemed a bit more ‘funny’ than scary!
This version told the story with delightful songs that were thought provoking, funny, informative and very uplifting. With interactive dances and some really funny dialect! It was a joy to watch, I must mention the rest of the cast as besides Scrooge they all played multiple parts and were very entertaining: Cameron McKendrick, who played nephew Fred (and more), Claire Redcliffe, who played Mrs Fezziwig (and more) and Killian Macardle, who played Mr Fezziwig (and more) plus this show had a BSL interpreter, Tony, who did a fantastic job. There were some significant moments within the musical, the Christmas pudding song and dance, Goose song, Mr & Mrs Fezziwig’s song and dance and a sentimental song by Fred however as I have said we really enjoyed it all and would recommend it as the heart-warming, feel-good show that it is. I feel I should also mention Scrooge as his face was brilliant, he managed to look, act and sing with a really miserable face at the beginning and an uplifting happy demeanour at the end! Excellent!
https://dukeslancaster.org/whats-on/theatre/a-christmas-carol?utm_campaign=A+Christmas+Carol&utm_
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from: £16 to £20
A Christmas Carol is at the Dukes Theatre Moor Lane Lancaster LA11QE
From: 24th November to 31st December 2023
For more information or to book tickets visit: www.dukeslancaster.org or call Box office on: 01524598500