A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Bryony Lavery
Music & Lyrics Jason Carr
Directed by Dale Rooks & Jake Smith
18 December – 2 January
Festival Theatre, Chichester
Following a highly acclaimed production of Running Wild during Festival 2015, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre return at the end of their 30th anniversary year with a revival of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Bryony Lavery.
Miser Ebenezer Scrooge lives for money, the cold hard currency of gold, not caring how it is obtained or that it has crushed his own human spirit. In his eyes, people are worthless, family is a nuisance, employees ungrateful and all no more so than at Christmas, when the insanity of love and forgiveness is allowed to run amok. But this Christmas Eve is going to be different, as Scrooge is visited by three spirits sent to offer a vision of what was, what is and what shall be. Is there time for him to repent and discover the true meaning of Christmas?
Dale Rooks, Chichester’s Youth Theatre and Education Director co-directs this production with Jake Smith. Rooks’s widely praised Youth Theatre productions include Running Wild, The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Noah, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, Peter Pan and Toad of Toad Hall.
Jake Smith has been a Chichester Trainee Director since 2014. Assistant Director credits include For Services Rendered, Way Upstream, The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Gypsy and Miss Julie / Black Comedy. Forthcoming credits include Arthur, a new play by Ben Weatherill, which won the Theatre Royal Haymarket 2015 Pitch Your Play award.
Bryony Lavery’s plays for Chichester include her adaptations of The Hundred and One Dalmatians and The Snow Queen. Other credits include Treasure Island (National Theatre), Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly and The National Theatre of Scotland), the award-winning play Frozen (Birmingham Repertory Theatre, National Theatre and Broadway), Stockholm (Frantic Assembly) and Kursk (Young Vic).
Music is by Jason Carr who was Associate Composer at Chichester from 2003 – 05. His Chichester credits include Stevie (also Hampstead Theatre), The Syndicate, Funny Girl and Carousel. Other theatre credits includeSunday in the Park With George, La Cage Aux Folles and A Little Night Music (all for the Menier Chocolate Factory and West End).
Design is by Simon Higlett, Associate Designer at Chichester where his most recent credits are ‘Mrs Pat’ andAn Ideal Husband. Other Chichester credits include The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and Yes, Prime Minister, (all of which transferred to the West End) and Singin’ in the Rain, (also West End, UK and international tour). Other credits include Blithe Spirit (West End and US tour),Love’s Labours Lost and Love’s Labour’s Won (RSC) and Derren Brown’s Miracle.
Costume Design is by Ryan Dawson Laight whose credits include DRUNK (Bridewell Theatre), Macbeth andHenry V (Creation Theatre), Good Morning Midnight (Jermyn Street Theatre) and Le Gateau Chocolate: Black(Menier Chocolate Factory, and tour).
Lighting Design is by James Whiteside whose Chichester credits include The Hundred and One Dalmatians,Miss Julie / Black Comedy, A Marvellous Year For Plums, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist, Wallensteinand Funny Girl. Other credits include The Royale (Bush Theatre) and the West End production of Dance Till Dawn.
Sound Design is by Gregory Clarke whose Chichester credits include ‘Mrs Pat’ and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (and UK tour). Other credits include Dinner With Saddam (Menier Chocolate Factory), Clarence Darrow(Old Vic), My Night With Reg (Donmar Warehouse and West End) and Medea (National Theatre).
Movement is by Lizzi Gee, whose Chichester credits include The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (and UK tour),Goodnight Mister Tom (plus UK tour and West End). Other credits include The Winter’s Tale (RSC), Rocket to the Moon (National Theatre) and Vernon God Little (Young Vic).
A Christmas Carol is sponsored by Mercer and Kenwood.
A Christmas Carol is at Chichester Festival Theatre 18 December – 2 January. Performance times vary. Tickets £10 – £26, except for the Charity Performance on Friday 18 December when tickets will be £10 and £15. Childrens Saver Ticket – half price on top three prices. Tickets available online at www.cft.org.uk or from the Box Office 01243 781312.
On Tuesday 29 December at 2pm, there will be a Relaxed Performance of A Christmas Carol. Individuals, groups and families with children on the autistic spectrum, sensory and communication disorders or anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment will be welcome to attend. For more information email [email protected] or call the Access Line on 01243 812927.
Special Prices for 16 – 25s
An allocation of tickets for 16 – 25 year olds priced at just £8.50 for all performances of A Christmas Carol will be on sale from 18 November. These may be booked on 01243 781312, online at cft.org.uk/850 or in person.
Listings
A Christmas Carol
18 December – 2 January
Festival Theatre, Chichester
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre returns with a revival of Bryony Lavery’s popular adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Performance times vary
Tickets
£10 – £26
Charity Performance Friday 18 December: £10 and £15
16 – 25 year olds: £8.50 – on sale for all performances
Box Office
cft.org.uk
01243 781312