STRAND REUPLOAD: Nottingham's hit returns to the Midlands to bring a bit of Halloween into this classic Christmas Tale

Whilst being in rehearsal for another Christmas Carol, of course I had to check out what Birmingham had in store for this amazing story: Thank you as always STRAND MAGAZINE

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As the first snow of 2024 falls across the West Midlands, it is the perfect time for the opening of Birmingham Rep’s Christmas production: ‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story’. Adapted by Matt Gatiss (returning to the Rep since The Way Old Friends Do) and directed by Adam Penford, this production is the perfect addition to the ever growing adaptations of this classic Dickens tale, but one not so much for younger audience members.

The Rep Team states that it is a high sensory experience with flashing lights and jumpscares. Relaxed performances are on Sun 1 Dec at 2.30pm and Fri 6 Dec at 7pm without these

​Christmas Eve seven years ago Ebenezer Scrooge witnessed the sudden death of his friend and business partner Jacob Marley. Now on the seventh anniversary of that night Scrooge has an unexpected visit from him, bound in chains as from lifetime of greed and the consequences he faces for it. He doesn’t want the same for his friend. Scrooge still has time to change his ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face three more ghostly encounters and face more of his life than he ever thought he would.

As soon as you come into the auditorium you are welcomed by Paul Wills’ towers of filing cabinets, suitcases and books trailing the edge of the stage. Two big towers of suitcases and even more cabinets appear as the office where the story begins and where some of the most interesting (and partly horrifying) projections and illusions take place.

The projections by Nina Dunn and Hannah Schlenker (for PixelLux) are second to none and something I have never seen from the Rep before.

​From the skyline just above the stage, and its intricate detailing to the ‘Scrooge and Marley’s’ eroding sign, the most simplistic to the most outstanding and horror worthy illusions caused gasps and jumps throughout the whole auditorium even from the adults who have seen this story over and over and thought they have ‘seen it all’.

​The soundtrack of the show - as you would expect - is full with medleys of Christmas carols from the moment you walk in. With a mix of physical theatre and dance throughout for even the simplest of moments, it gives them a whole new meaning to Scrooge. But of course, the Fezziwig jig is always a fan favourite and got the audience clapping along and nodding along in the seats.

Matthew Forbe’s puppetry sprinkled in throughout are spellbinding, from the seemingly dementor inspired anxiety spiralling around the auditorium before the ghosts even enter, to the innocent Want and Ignorance children of Christmas Present - mankind’s ’gift’ to the world that follow the ghost wherever he goes underneath his robe. You don’t know when a puppet
will show up next and that’s what makes it even better.

The show has a star studded cast full of performer veterans young and old including Matthew Cottle as Ebenezer Scrooge, Rufus Hound as partner in crime Jacob Marley and Oscar Batterham as Bob Cratchet. The chemistry specifically between these three actors are amazing and had me begging for more. Grace Hogg-Robinson and Mark Theodore’s playful Past and omnibenevolent Present but... who is the silent ghost of Christmas Future? (That is something you have to see for yourselves).

The 12 strong ensemble is small but mighty, each of them playing at least two roles between them as well as their ensemble roles filling the scenes when needed. Specific mentions go to Lance West’s Fred and his Young Scrooge with the chemistry with Kalifa Taylor’s Belle as well as Rebecca Trehearn’s Mrs Cratchet and Ryan Weston’s Tiny Tim.

​For this performance (21st November 19:00), River Mahjouri and Corrina Onyiukah appeared in their child ensemble tracks and what a talented duo they are, juggling 5 separate roles across the show bringing laughter and tears in some parts!

​The story itself of ‘A Christmas Carol’ hasn’t changed from the original piece and is - relatively - easy to follow, the journey through Scrooges Past, Present and Future by the ghosts weaving in his potential redemption and the impacts of it in the after math. It feels in this version specifically, the timelines of when the ghosts are coming and what night are we on can appear confusing where at several points it mentions the ghosts are coming once per night on three consecutive nights (all while starting and still ending on Christmas Day) but at times also mentioned it happened on one night, I felt I spent some of Christmas Past thinking back to what it was and momentarily pulled me out of the story.

​The addition of a Narrator (played by Geoffrey Beevers) was well used in Act 1 but seemingly vanished until the last scene in Act 2, being joined by two children that we hadn’t seen before and while the ending reveal was something I didn't see coming, I feel it would have been worth teasing slightly throughout and not losing our ‘context provider’ in times when we really needed it.

All together, this show is an amazing adaptation and while a few holes got through the fabric of Ebenezers bed curtains, it is still an incredible production and really worth seeing this festive season if you prefer a more traditional play to a pantomime.