A Christmas Carol

The entire cast were incredible in translating the story from stage to page. Our ghost of Christmas past (Mari McGinlay) was suitably eccentric and whacky in her portrayal taking Madame Scrooge back to the Fezziwig ball. This scene stood out as if it had been taken straight from a musical of the golden age. Reminiscent of the ‘all out’ dance choreography seen in shows like 42nd Street, the ensemble collectively were astonishing. The ghost of Christmas present (James Hume) in this production was portrayed as a panto dame in ‘Mother Goose’. Whilst it sounds an odd choice on the face of it, this beautifully moved the story forward in an unusual way and Hume was nuanced in his portrayal.

With so many productions becoming a staple each festive season, it seems unfathomable that this is the first production to change the gender of the lead character. As expected, the gender of the character is irrelevant really as the story transcends years. Moore, however plays the part with such conviction putting the plethora of predecessors to bed. It’s particularly interesting in this production to have a thorough backstory rather than being rushed into the ghosts visiting and adds to the magic of the piece. Moore’s character arc was perfect as the finale came she was almost unhinged with happiness having seen the errors of her ways.