Northern Ballet’s A Christmas Carol at Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Joy Wright

In anticipation of the festive season Northern Ballet have resurrected and reimagined a fresh adaptation of A Christmas Carol. All of Northern Ballet’s shows are warmly welcomed and well attended in their well deserved reputation as an exceptional, modern ballet company creating striking performances in the twenty first century.

A Christmas Carol is an intelligently choreographed experience which captures the true nature of Dickens’ well crafted characters in a timeless tale.

It is somehow appropriate to weave the elegance of the art form with classical literature and still sustain a sense of humour within the performance. Directed and devised by Christopher Gable CBE and choreographed by Massimo Moricone, Northern Ballet’s A Christmas Carol transports the audience to the streets of London in the freezing wintertime where Ebenezer Scrooge inflicts misery on others. Quelling the youth and exuberance of his assistant and leading a life he will come to regret.

He is visited by the spirit of his former partner who, in death, warns Scrooge and leaves him at the mercy of three further spirits who hope to teach him the error of his ways.

The choreography interprets Dickens’ intent, the nature of Scrooge is described in his movement, his meanness and rigidity is performed well by Jonathan Hanks who embodies the role convincingly throughout. Scrooge stands in stark contrast to Cratchit who dances with joy and warmth, embracing the joy of the season despite the miserly nature of his master. Harris Beattie brings this role to life with a near constant smile and vivacious movement.

The spirits of the Past, Present and Future along with the phantoms are ethereal and eerie and the costumes and choreography are just divine. The spirits each bring their own unique self; Past is ghostly and enticing, Present is full of abundance and energy, Future is stunningly bleak and haunting. Scrooge’s journey is made vivid and clear to understand through the medium of dance.

There is a dynamic theatrical set which moves between Scrooge’s office and home, the cold London Streets, the homes of Cratchit and his family, the Fezziwig ball and a graveyard. The entire design of lighting and set create the eeriness required in this supernatural tale and the warmth of festivity of the time of year, switching between the scenes with use of lighting and set along with music to suspend us in the tale

It is easy to appreciate the classic appearance of Scrooge with excellent make up design and the Angel of Death costume structure is second to none. This is a beautiful and well crafted production and one I would heartily recommend to anyone. This is not a performance suited to younger children but a fantastic introduction to ballet for an older child or anyone not familiar with ballet performance. Equally it will delight dancers and ballet aficionados alike. As the show goes on tour now and leading up to and over the Christmas period it will easily bring some festive spirits into the audiences around the UK as we celebrate.

A few limited tickets are still available at the box office, via 0114 249 6000 or online https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/a-christmas-carol-northern-ballet/dates ticket prices vary from £11.00 to £55.00. And worth every penny.
Rating: 5/5
Joy Wright

Photo credits go to Colleen Mair and Emily Nuttall.