EBONY SCROOGE
Sadler’s Wells East
★★★★
“a heartfelt tale of legacy and healing”
You might ask if we have any room for another interpretation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. How much more is there to squeeze out of Bob Cratchit and his ensemble? Well, ZooNation’s new production of Ebony Scrooge manages to find a genuinely refreshing take, exploring grief and identity through the medium of hip hop.
Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe led the development of Ebony Scrooge as director, writer and choreographer, setting the framework of the original story against the fashion world, where Ebony reins. When she cancels Christmas to stage her best fashion show yet, the familiar trio of ghosts knock on the studio door.
The first act is the weaker of the two, as we’re slow to get into the action. There’s an animated introduction and then a narrator-led introduction, when the audience knows the beats of the story well enough to just want to get stuck in and see what this version has to offer us. Plus, the narrators disappear for long stretches, so it’s a bit jarring when they pop back in. Lindon Barr’s solo as Bob Cratchit is a highlight, mesmerisingly fluid amongst clean and crisp, but not particularly memorable, movement from the ensemble. Natalie Pryce’s costuming gives a fun, glamorous feel, and it’s impressive to watch Leah Hill pop and lock in towering platform heels, strutting around giving orders as Ebony.
We gain clearer momentum once we meet the first ghost, which is just one instance where Joanna Scotcher’s set is used in combination with lighting to enhance the movement with theatre magic. It’s frightening to see the mannequin come to life with uncanny choreography, and heed warnings from behind the gauze. The order of the ghosts has been switched, so we meet Christmas Present first, visiting Ebony’s niece Freddie at the Christmas party she’s throwing. Melissa Bravo is genuinely joyous as Freddie, her sparky movement delivered with lightness and a beaming smile, whether she’s handing out party tickets or driving a dance off. Christmas Future sees the arrival of an army of tracksuit-ed messengers, delivering the expected sombre warning with seriousness and flair.
Where the first act feels constrained by the original story, we exhale in the second half as the show expands way beyond Dickens’ building blocks and truly flies on its own. We finally meet the ghost of Christmas Past, escaping the fashion world Ebony has boxed herself into and diving into her Dominican heritage instead. There’s a beautiful fluidity to the flashback scenes which share the source of our titular characters’ grief. As the vocals fade away and the comfort of the drumbeats remains, it’s genuinely moving to watch Ebony take tentative steps towards the free flowing energy her ancestors demonstrate, and to eventually part a dance floor to reach Young Freddie. Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante’s original music skilfully taps into nostalgia here, providing ethereal arrangements evocative of classic Christmas movies.
With solid choreography and a sharp ensemble, the dancing is as accomplished as you’d expect from the ZooNation team, but the real magic happens when the movement, music and narrative fuse into something unexpectedly tender. What starts as a funky visual spectacle transforms into a heartfelt tale of legacy and healing. This is A Christmas Carol reinvented with rhythm, warmth and unmistakable soul.
EBONY SCROOGE
Sadler’s Wells East
Reviewed on 6th December 2025
by Jessica Hayes
Photography by Pamela Raith
Previously reviewed at this venue:
SHADOWS | ★★★★ | November 2025
THE SNOWMAN | ★★★★ | November 2025
MARKING TIME | ★★★½ | November 2025
MIMI’S SHEBEEN | ★★★★ | October 2025
THE MACHINE OF HORIZONTAL DREAMS | ★★★ | October 2025
PRISM | ★★★★★ | October 2025
A DECADE IN MOTION | ★★★★★ | September 2025
SHAW VS CHEKHOV | ★★★ | August 2025
PEAKY BLINDERS: RAMBERT’S THE REDEMPTION OF THOMAS SHELBY | ★★★★ | August 2025
SINBAD THE SAILOR | ★★★★★ | July 2025
