Writer: Charles Dickens
Adaptor/Director: David Hutchinson & Anna Schneider
Musical Director: Philip Ryder
The Public Reviews Rating: 4/5
The
Greenwich Playhouse is a wonderfully atmospheric theatre and best lends itself to productions which are carried by the abilities of
cast and creators.
This results in its shows walking a
far thinner line between triumph and failure than most. Knowing this, it's a joy to see Sell a Door’s A Christmas Carol place itself firmly on
the right side of that line.
The piece is a remarkably close adaptation of the Dickens’ classic, despite being set
in the midst of the 2008 banking crisis. From the opening scene of
Jacob Marley’s funeral there are hints of what will make the entire play
so enjoyable.
The captivating plot is accompanied by songs
overseen by Philip Ryder, who is tonight's stand out performance. He sits alongside the stage with his keyboard, supplying outstanding music and sound effects which perfectly set the
tone for each changing situation.
As the story delves into Scrooge’s character and the
world he inhabits, the wealth of young acting talent becomes apparent.
Every cast member shines through their acting,
singing or even dancing and it's clear how well they
work together as a group.
Lee White manages to raise himself up above the rest of the impressive
group. His performance of the optimistic employee, father and husband
set against a bleak existence conveys not just
passion, but comedy too. On top of this, he briefly imbues the play with
horror and intensity as Jacob's ghost.
By the time the three ghostly spirits begin to invade Scrooge’s night, Anna Schneider's clever writing has allowed the
cast to insert a huge amount of fun into what could be a very depressing
tale. However, the problem with this performance also lies in the writing.
Although a few obvious references make it clear
these events are taking place in modern day London, little effort
has been made to update the characters or story lines. The dialogue occasionally feels jagged against the
setting and, by the end, it feels as though the show
would have benefited if it had been left in its original design.
This problem is easily forgotten amongst the effective use of such a
simple stage. The intelligent use of dances to distract the eye from the blackboard
backdrop changes keep the pace moving quickly and it's with surprise that the
performance reaches its heart-warming conclusion. Toward the final scenes, the young cast once again display their enthusiastic abilities and outshine Stephen Barden’s occasionally
flat portrayal of Scrooge.
A Christmas Carol is never going to be a new story to tell but,
despite this production’s failure to differentiate itself, this is an
incredibly enjoyable way to witness the tale. The intelligent
writing, charismatic group of performers and incredible music secure
the exact kind of Christmas feeling everyone is looking for at this time
of year.
Runs until 15th January
Find the original review, and many others, here: www.thepublicreviews.com/a-christmas-carol-%E2%80%93-greenwich-playhouse-london/
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