A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Old Vic

★★★★★

“Paul Hilton delivers a definitive Scrooge, embodying the character with razor sharp wit, aching pathos, and a raw blend of grit and despair”

We all know ‘A Christmas Carol’ inside out – right? This production proves otherwise, reworking the classic tale of ghosts and greed into a spellbinding tribute to flawed humanity. This spectacular show marries the finest stagecraft with true Christmas spirit, delivering joy, generosity and – for many – a tear or two.

It’s Christmas Eve and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge scorns the cheer stirring every heart but his own. That night, the ghost of Jacob Marley, his long dead associate, warns Scrooge to change his ways. Three more ghostly visitations reveal Scrooge’s tragic journey from hopeful boy to heartless creditor, driven by fear and abuse. Can he discover the courage to love at last?

This adaptation by Jack Thorne (of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ fame) premiered at the Old Vic in 2017, returning every year since. Its 2019 Broadway transfer was crowned with five Tony Award wins, so my expectations were high. And my, were they met!

Based on Dickens’ original novella, Thorne’s adaptation infuses redemption with real vulnerability. Scrooge is both humanised and haunted by an even darker past than Dickens imagined. At once victim and perpetrator, he emerges a richly complex figure portrayed with unsettling realism. His redemption arc isn’t romanticised either. After his Christmas epiphany, he rushes to tell lost love, Belle, he wishes he’d ‘done things differently’. Belle, however, cuts him short with a strikingly mature response: she’s content. Similarly, Scrooge’s manic Christmas party is transformed into a haunting provocation to follow through. It’s full of nuance and humanity, with achingly poignant moments that make me ugly cry more than once.

Under the direction of Matthew Warchus, Artistic Director of the Old Vic, and fluid movement by Lizzi Gee, unfolds a breathtaking ballet of people, props, and design. Staged in the round, the use of space is ingenious – aisles, auditorium and even air become part of the drama. Set pieces rise from the floor, lamps hover (or swing!) overhead, and every angle is considered. The performance is slick and seamless, each scene meticulously blocked and choreographed. Moments of stillness are chosen with care, creating space for genuine connection.

Christopher Nightingale’s Tony winning score weaves timeless Christmas carols and folk arrangements with satisfying ingenuity. Familiar strains take on new meaning: ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ lands with knowing irony; ‘O Holy Night’ dramatically counterpoints Scrooge’s resistance to change. Perhaps my favourite element is the use of hand bells, their radiant brightness offering hope even at Scrooge’s lowest points.

Rob Howell’s set and costume design is breathtaking. Set pieces are revealed through ingenious mechanics, creating magical transitions. The immersive Christmas dinner is a theatrical event in its own right. Costumes use patchwork as a striking visual metaphor, symbolising life’s many experiences. Hugh Vanstone’s lighting design is a visual feast, deploying a perfectly synchronised array of lamps, spots, washes and effects. The lamp drop is a startling and spectacular masterstroke. Simon Baker’s sound design is superbly judged, creating a haunting and human soundscape.

This outstanding cast conveys remarkable warmth and depth. Paul Hilton delivers a definitive Scrooge, embodying the character with razor sharp wit, aching pathos, and a raw blend of grit and despair. Rob Compton’s buoyant charm and sharp comic timing lift Bob Cratchit, sparring effectively against Hilton’s spiky Scrooge. Matthew Durkan imbues Fred with sincerity and steadfast kinship. Lauren Jones gives Little Fan a youthful vitality that deepens into poignancy; Tanisha Spring is radiant as Belle, her hopeful spirit evolving into movingly mature acceptance. Both skilfully display vocal brilliance and emotional nuance. Olive Mac Mahon makes her professional stage debut as Tiny Tim, drawing tears with touching honesty.

The Old Vic’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ is an absolute must see. Aside from its theatrical brilliance, it also supports people living in poverty today. Few things capture the essence of Christmas more powerfully than that.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Old Vic

Reviewed on 25th November 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

GETTING THROUGH IT | ★★★★★ | October 2025

MARY PAGE MARLOWE | ★★★★ | October 2025

THE BRIGHTENING AIR | ★★★★ | April 2025

A CHRISTMAS CAROL | ★★★★★ | November 2024

THE REAL THING | ★★★★ | September 2024

MACHINAL | ★★★★ | April 2024

JUST FOR ONE DAY | ★★★★ | February 2024

A CHRISTMAS CAROL | ★★★★★ | November 2023

PYGMALION | ★★★★ | September 2023

A CHRISTMAS

★★½

“has warmth and energy but is held back by its uneven tone and sketchy characterisation”

Community, chaos and catchy tunes collide in Choir, though not always in harmony. Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s new comedy with music, directed by Hannah Joss, aims to be a feel-good celebration of connection and belonging but delivers an uneven evening populated by characters who often feel one-dimensional and overly caricatured.

At the centre is Morgan (Laura Checkley), who runs a small-town community choir in a pub’s upstairs room. They meet weekly to rehearse pop songs, drink and find space to be versions of themselves beyond their regular lives. The play follows the week leading up to a fundraising gig, which takes an unexpected turn when a TV producer offers the choir a chance to perform on national television, an opportunity Morgan seizes to put them on the map.

Morgan’s own description of her singers as having “seven different personalities” is telling. Everyone is different, with lives beyond the choir: Paul (James Gillan), a former West End performer now reduced to local radio voiceovers; Anna (Danusia Samal), whose composed exterior masks private struggles; Ken (Timothy Speyer), a sunny optimist despite a track record of underachievement; Esther (Danielle Henry) and Joy (Alison Fitzjohn), “best friends” whose relationship thrives on constant point-scoring; and Sheila (Annie Wensak), a compulsive liar whose fabrications are delivered with unapologetic flair. Late to the mix is Freddie (Keenan Munn-Francis), the young talent they’re fundraising for, whose arrival shifts the dynamic and unsettles the group. In theory, this variety could be a strength; in practice, the characters remain underdeveloped and the personal revelations feel more engineered than earned.

The show alternates between rehearsal scenes, where the singing is deliberately off-key or hesitant (well executed as such) and fantasy sequences where the choir sounds polished and professional. This framing device gives the performers the chance to shine vocally: Gillan’s soaring rendition of Queen’s Somebody to Love, Samal’s smoky take on Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Munn-Francis’s heartfelt Nothing Compares 2 U are standout moments.

Alison Fitzjohn and Annie Wensak share most of the comic thunder, though in very different styles – Fitzjohn with dry, deadpan barbs and Wensak delivering audacious one-liners and scene-stealing entrances. Danielle Henry as Esther adds a quieter, sharper presence, blending vulnerability with subtle tension in her friendship with Joy. Laura Checkley’s Morgan, while central, feels somewhat one-note, limiting the character’s emotional arc. Though the cast’s comic timing is strong, performances often lean toward broad stereotypes rather than nuance. Speyer (Ken), Gillan (Paul) and Munn-Francis (Freddie) carry the most sustained emotional beats, but the delivery often follows the rhythm of scripted dialogue rather than the natural ebb and flow of genuine conversation, a reflection of Bhatti’s script, which hints at something more meaningful but too often resorts to easy laughs and predictable plot turns. Joss, in her directorial debut, maintains pace but doesn’t fully bridge these divides or allow character arcs to develop.

Designer Anisha Fields’ pub function room set is exactly what you’d expect, transforming into a neon-lit diva stage for the fantasy sequences – a shift echoed by Jai Morjaria’s lighting moving from pub warmth to spotlight glamour. Fields also designs the costumes, which convincingly reflect the characters’ personalities and add an extra layer of texture and comedy to the production. Alexandra Faye Braithwaite’s sound design and Rich Forbes’ arrangements, supported by Musical Director Michael Henry, inject vitality into the music. These pop moments lift the atmosphere, suggesting what Choir might achieve if the writing matched its musical flair.

Choir has warmth and energy but is held back by its uneven tone and sketchy characterisation. The cast brings commitment and charm, hinting at stories the script never fully explores. Ultimately, it feels like a choir warming up – full of promise, but not yet in harmony.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Old Vic

★★★★★

“Paul Hilton delivers a definitive Scrooge, embodying the character with razor sharp wit, aching pathos, and a raw blend of grit and despair”

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Old Vic

Reviewed on 25th November 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Manuel Harlan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

A CHRISTMAS

A CHRISTMAS

A CHRISTMAS

CHOIR

Minerva Theatre

★★½

“has warmth and energy but is held back by its uneven tone and sketchy characterisation”

CHOIR

Minerva Theatre

Reviewed on 8th August 2025

by Ellen Cheshire

Photography by Helen Murray

Previous Chichester Festival reviews:

CHOIR

CHOIR

CHOIR

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