25 November – 30 December
As we approach the end of 2023, and the prospect of our Christmas and New Year celebrations, we also look back on twelve months which have proved so hard for so many. Whilst war continues to rage in Ukraine and Sudan, and a humanitarian crisis unfolds daily in the Gaza Strip, boats full of hopeful and desperate migrants cross the Channel every day. All the while, our own country remains in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis, with so many individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. As the gentlemen collecting for charity observe to Ebenezer Scrooge, “Many thousands are in want of common necessaries”. It seems little has changed since 1843, either at home or abroad.
In bringing Dickens’ celebrated festive novella to the stage, director Paul Milton has adapted and condensed the tale into a 75-minute one-act play which strips out some of the wordier elements of the original narrative, yet in doing so losing none of the story’s poignancy, power or charm. Running in the Everyman’s Irving Studio until the end of the year, the show has a cast of just four, but such is the versatility and talent of this quartet of performers, they convey this timeless tale, and all of the key characters, with remarkable skill and admirable simplicity.
The decision to flesh out the minor characters of Ignorance and Want into co-narrators is an inspired one. Whilst 80% of the script remains Dickens’ own words, Milton’s decision to expand the impact and presence of these characters allows him to include references to food banks, the cost-of-living crisis and benefits schemes, providing a vital contemporary resonance to a classic, much-loved tale. Scrooge’s awakened sense of humanity should strike a chord with us all: bookending the performance with the ominous words and warnings of these two characters ensures Dickens’ philanthropic message hits home, and any sentimentality is avoided.
This is acting of the highest calibre from four talented players. Murray Andrews excels as Scrooge; he is joined by the equally impressive Ross Telfer, Ruth Page and Simon Stanhope, who take on multiple roles themselves, including conveying the three Christmas apparitions with some creative and highly effective puppets. For a story which is often retold through high-budget films with lavish special effects, one of the many strengths of this memorable show is the simplicity of the props and costumes, and the power of suggestion which the show employs. The reconfiguration of a few multi-purpose wooden boxes to suggest myriad possibilities is just so clever; the slick costume changes, whether on or off-stage, enhance rather than detract from our appreciation of the narrative; the seamless and smooth transitions of countless scene changes are all impressively done. Clever and simple use of sound and lighting is evident all the way through. Above all, the intimate surroundings of such a small performance space connect the audience – at times almost literally – with every character, every detail, every facial expression to produce an immersive and thoroughly engaging theatrical experience.
Fittingly, this is a show for the ages, and for all ages. It provides the perfect counterpoint to the madcap merriment of “Mother Goose” taking place simultaneously downstairs in the main theatre. Not for the first time this year, I find myself reflecting on a play whose message resonates so keenly with a modern audience. As a story which is the very essence of Christmas, perhaps we need Dickens’ message of the importance of compassion, benevolence, and the generosity of the human spirit more than ever. Catch it, as Marley would say, “While there is still time…”
★★★★★ Tony Clarke 27 November 2023
Photo credit: Neil Smith
