A timeless story. A Christmas classic. A heartwarming tale about kindness and generosity. Brilliantly adapted by Jack Thorne, this performance leaves the audience enthralled with the wonderful acting from Christopher Eccleston. With complimentary satsumas and mince pies, a hand bell performance and fake snow, you can relax into your seat and enjoy an incredible adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Christopher Eccleston as Scrooge allowed the withered, self-loathing, greedy man to come alive : he made the audience feel rage at his unkindness towards Bob Cratchit, pity at his unrequited love for Belle and empathy towards him as a bullied child, where he was the victim to the wrath of his alcoholic father. His incredible performance prevented the audience from feeling a sense of loathing towards Scrooge, instead making them sympathise with the challenges he had faced over his life. By the end, you felt like you had been by his side the entire time, and felt a sense of pride over his character redemption.
One element of this performance that made it really stand out was the beautiful hand bell ringing from the supporting actors that opened and closed the performance. This was paired with the melancholy singing of ‘Coventry Carol’ that was sung when Scrooge was at his lowest, and the joyous melody of ‘See Amid the Winter Snow’ which was sung as Scrooge prepared a marvellous feast for his family and friends. These musical additions made this even more Christmassy and unique, and made this adaptation rise high above the others.
There were many aesthetically pleasing scenes, like the finale of large, football-sized sprouts falling from the top of the theatre, and the Ghost of Christmas Past appearing with a thick chain that’s seemingly miles long behind him. All these details made this performance a pleasure to watch.
I highly recommend visiting the Old Vic to see this wonderful rendition of A Christmas Carol, which has been produced there by Jack Thorne since 2017. It is a performance for the whole family, and leaves you with that incomparable Christmas cheer.
