A Christmas Carol

Musicians playing well-loved carols, cast members throwing mandarins and delivering fruit mince tarts to the audience against the backdrop of what seems like a million lights sets the tone for an involving, magical and moving show.

This story of redemption deserves to be preserved and celebrated. It highlights how those in power influence the lives of those less fortunate or able. Scrooge’s journey from self-serving meanness to generous open heartedness with the help of the ghosts of Christmases past who pressure him to take responsibility for his past actions and to understand the consequences of his choices is engaging and moving. The audience is carried along with him and episodes from his childhood and past, as revealed by the ghosts, help build at least understanding, and maybe even compassion, for Scrooge. Anthony Cogin as his father and Marley, his business partner add considerable depth to the audience’s understanding of Scrooge’s motivations.

Erik Thomson as Ebenezer Scrooge is very good at mean and self-centred and then shows his range when he transforms to iridescently happy as he turns to the people around him with an open heart. He notes in the program that he finds “the moment of Scrooge’s rebirth in the second half so overwhelmingly beautiful”. Tim Wright brings Bob Cratchit’s simple servitude to understandable life. Cameron Taylor (Nicholas), Aisha Aidara (Little Fan) and Sarah Morriswon (Belle) hold open the possibility of connection and love despite Scrooge’s initial attempts to cut them off.

The script is clever and funny and the staging is by turn elegantly minimalist and lushly over the top. The company acts and dances and sings their way through the story adding pathos, exuberance and beauty as needed. The use of live music including musical bells and hand-held lights is delicious. There is magic in snowballs and snowfall as the company elevates the festivities to a Christmas we imagine from Christmas cards.

The Victorian era costuming sets the scene for a tale we wish was left behind us but is as fresh today as it was when it was written in 1843. This production’s commitment to supporting a local food security organisation, SecondBite, gives the audience a chance to follow Scrooge’s actions and give to those who need support.

Ruth Richter

Photographer: Eugene Hyland.