A Christmas Carol. To 24 January.
Derby
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
by Charles Dickens adapted by Karen Louise Hebden
Derby Playhouse: To 24 January 2004
Mon-Sat 7.30. Mat 2.30. 21st Jan 10.30am
Audio Described Sat 17th 2.30, Wed 21st Jan 7.30
BSL Signed Sat 17th Jan 2.30, Thursday 22 Jan 7.30
Runs 2hr 20min One interval
TICKETS 01332 363275
www.derbyplayhouse.co.uk
Review: Jen Mitchell 11 December
No 'look behind you', here. Without wishing to sound too pompous a true reminder of what we would all like Christmas to mean.
Dickens' story is told here by an unusual combination of action and narrative, the narrative being delivered by seven actors as various Victorian characters. All slip seamlessly between roles, some comic, some tragic. Yet even Bob Cratchit's scenes with Tiny Tim never slip into sentimentality.
But the mainstay of any production of A Christmas Carol must be Ebenezer Scrooge, an easy character to caricature. Ben Roberts visibly experiences every emotion on his arduous journey from 'scrooge' to philanthropist.
The pain of loss is evident as we witness the young Ebenezer parting from his fiancée. We feel his distress as he remembers the sister he loved so much and see how poorly he treats his nephew. A superb, moving performance.
Action's moved along, and emotion increased, by use of film projected onto the back of the stage, ingeniously suggesting Victorian Britain, through both interiors and exteriors. Some fine musical numbers carols of course - add to the poignancy of the whole thing.
Ghostly manifestations are superbly handled too, with Jacob Marley as a slightly rotting corpse bound in chains with an echo of the comedic about him. The most appealing, in more ways than one, is the Ghost of Christmas Present. He has more than a hint of the Green Man, acknowledging the pagan and midwinter celebrations that pre-date our current Christmas.
For anyone who is feeling slightly humbug about the whole Christmas thing, this is definitely the play for you. I guarantee you will come out a changed person.
Jacob Marley/Various/Storyteller: Simon Clark
Fezziwig/Ghost of Christmas Present/Old Joe/ Storyteller: Claude Close
Nephew Fred/Young Ebenezer/Ghost Of Christmas Yet to Come/Storyteller: Carl Ferguson
Belle/Mrs Fred/Charwoman/Storyteller: Zoe Hart
Mrs Fezziwig/Mrs Cratchit/Betsy/Mrs Dilbert/Storyteller: Sarah Ingram
Bob Cratchit/Ghost of Christmas Past/Storyteller: Sam Parks
Ebenezer Scrooge: Ben Roberts
Debtor/Dick Wilkins/Topper/Storyteller: Richard Winch
Blue Team:
Tiny Tim Cratchit: Joe O'Brien
Peter Cratchit: Myles Brown
Martha Cratchit: Justine Lee
Belinda Cratchit: Georgina Pike
Young Scrooge: Nick Ward
Fanny Scrooge: Sophie Hunter
Red Team:
Tiny Tim Cratchit: Lydia Arnoux
Peter Cratchit: Alex James
Martha Cratchit: Anna Martin
Belinda Cratchit: Lauren Delaney
Young Scrooge: Nicholas Baker
Fanny Scrooge: Bernadette Ellerby
Flute/Piccolo; Sarah Stanley
Clarinet/ Bass Clarinet: Andrew Dickinson
Trumpet/Flugel Horn: Brian Towse
Director: Stephen Edwards
Designer: Steve Richardson
Lighting: Jeannie Davies
Sound: Matt McKenzie
Music Arrangements/Musical Director: Kelvin Towse
Chorographer: Caimin Collins
2003-12-14 12:23:42