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

★★★★

“You come away feeling slightly giddy, but feeling good”

With the proliferation of new musicals roller coasting into theatreland, you’d think it hard to find an original subject to base one around. Currently, there seem to be two ways to go; either you can dredge up an old, safe favourite or else take the quirky route and think outside the box. Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell are obviously advocates of the latter. Six teenagers who die in a freak accident on a fairground ride is an unlikely starting point. A hard sell perhaps? “Ride the Cyclone” first appeared on the Canadian fringe in 2009, before heading Off-Broadway, via Chicago, a few years later. It has taken nearly ten years for it to cross the pond for its European premiere in London but, like those long, concertina queues we used to find ourselves in for the latest fairground attraction, it has been worth the wait.

The musical begins with a mysterious and headless girl circling the stage, singing a short song, dreaming of life. Cut to the even more mysterious ‘The Amazing Karnak’ (Edward Wu), a mechanical fortune teller, watching from on high. He is able to predict the exact moment and method of a person’s death. Even his own – which is very imminent, despite him already being in the afterlife (we can overlook this minor quibble) preparing himself to introduce the perished teenagers. Karnak has a game for them. Each will be given the chance to tell their story, in song, to win the chance to return to life. What follows is a cycle of song and monologue that occasionally baffles but always delights with its mix of absurdist humour, candid insight, bizarre ideas, emotional honesty and musical virtuosity. Irreverently frivolous one moment, genuinely heartfelt the next. Admittedly it borders on the saccharine at times, but the writers’ sharp knife always cuts through it in time.

Wu’s Karnak holds the fort like a camp and deadpan Greek God. First up is Ocean, played with real zest by Baylie Carson. Satirically self-important, she still manages to get the others’ backs up, especially best friend Constance (Robyn Gilbertson). We have to wait a while for Constance’s song – ‘Jawbreaker/Sugar Cloud’ – during which Gilbertson truly shines, revealing a deeper character than one who lost her virginity ‘just to get it out of the way’. A highlight of the show is ‘Noel’s Lament’, a gorgeous cabaret pastiche performed by Damon Gould with expert dancing and a velvet voice as he dreams of being a French prostitute. The eclectic quality of the musical numbers is demonstrated when Bartek Kraszewski’s Mischa brilliantly launches into a gangsta rap number complete with a flourish of breakdancing, while Grace Galloway’s headless girl lends her gorgeous operatic soprano to ‘The Ballad of Jane Doe’; a stunning waltz number that induces goosebumps. Then there is Ricky, whose dream of becoming an intergalactic saviour of sexy cat women (don’t ask) is brought to life in song; stunningly performed by Jack Maverick.

Director Lizzi Gee amazingly manages to bring cohesion to this disparate and totally bizarre concoction of life stories. Her choreography is meticulous, adapting itself to each and every genre and musical style seamlessly. There are moments when the inter-song monologues outstay their welcome, but the overall ride still remains on the peaks rather than the troughs. Musical Director Ben McQuigg’s five-piece band mixes power with clarity, and embraces the variety of the repertoire with panache. Every cast member has the vocal, movement and acting skills to tackle the material, making this eccentric show appear to be the most natural and obvious idea for a musical imaginable.

It is a thrilling ride, one which has that sense of danger even though you want to laugh out loud, right up to its upbeat finale. You come away feeling slightly giddy, but feeling good. Against all better judgement you find yourself wanting to join the queue again for another go.

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

RIDE THE CYCLONE

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

★★★★

“You come away feeling slightly giddy, but feeling good”

RIDE THE CYCLONE

Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Reviewed on 19th November 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Danny Kaan

Recently reviewed at Southwark Playhouse venues:

RIDE THE CYCLONE

RIDE THE CYCLONE

RIDE THE CYCLONE

JOIN US