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A Christmas Carol Derby Theatre **** This is an all new production written and adapted from the Dickens original by Mike Kenny and directed by Tom Bellerby on a clever set (by Jess Curtis who also designed the costumes) featuring the separate façades of three individual town houses which rotate to revolve the interiors. The success of this evergreen classic hinges on the casting of Scrooge, played in this production by Gareth Williams. I naturally empathise with Scrooges’s world view on Christmas. Williams is magnificent with lamb chop sideburns and doleful demeanour pouring scorn on bright eyed children and their adult acolytes. This leitmotif epitomised by “Bah humbug” is adroitly deployed without steering into overkill. There are a number of festive productions popular at Christmas time. A Christmas Carol is a favourite, and with good cause. Its message of festive cheer and hope at the expense of parsimony and gloom is evergreen, its allure hinging on the conversion of grumpy Scrooge to fellow traveller with the festive hullabaloo. It is the perfect entrée into Christmas which ended with me following in Scrooges' example and looking forwards to, rather than dreading, Christmas. Scrooge’s opening rant about the poor having Christmas and the workhouse to look out for them could have been written by the speech writer for Kemi Badenoch, with him in full Victorian curmudgeon, rather than philanthropist, mode. The lighting and mood is dim and dour with poverty, beggars and orphans omnipresent. What lifts the production is live on stage folk style music adapting traditional hymns, carols and songs, Sound Designer is Ivan Stott working alongside Musical Director & Arranger Sonum Batra and deputy Musical Director Eliza Waters.
Although two hours long , director Bellerby maintains a lively pace with something for everyone. The social commentary is faithful to Dickens’ vision in the novel, the script is humorous and witty, the Victorian sense of Christmas, both in spirit and stage presentation, will delight older children in a family friendly production. Charity and overseas aid have come under much media scrutiny recently in an era of financial austerity, Dickens' reminder that it is our humanity which binds us together and can make us great is as pertinent now as it has ever been. Scrooges’ faithful employee Bob Cratchit is wonderfully portrayed by Oliver Mawdsley. The ensemble cast delight, not least with outstanding a capella harmonies ably augmented by a talented group of child actors all pleasingly choreographed by Movement Director Jon Beney. All contribute to an atmospheric graveyard scene impeccably lit by Adam Foley. Two female voices impressed, Claire Lee Shenfield as Belle and April Nerissa Hudson as Joan Cratchit - now deservedly a veteran and favourite of the derby stage. As a trivia note, that vocal pedigree is underpinned by Gareth Williams’ history as a member of 1970’s hit vocal group The Flying Pickets. Younger children may need encouragement with the wordy narrative, older children will be pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoy it. A pleasingly packed Thursday afternoon comprising school parties, pensioners, and young children taking an afternoon off from school off with parents and grandparents warmly acknowledged the casts' efforts at the end This is a lovely Christmas show which runs until Saturday 4 January 2025. Gary Longden 28-11-24 |
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