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The Crazy Coqs, Piccadilly Circus, London W1 – 23 November 2024

Reviewed by Phil Brown

4****

This accomplished and captivating show is something of a precursor to an album launch in January 2025 and a brief tour entitled Hallelujah on Desolation Row in selected locations starting March.  Details are on Barb Jungr’s website at https://www.barbjungr.co.uk/tour-dates

Barb Jungr is arguably Britain’s best kept jazz secret, despite a substantial body of recorded work and a long track record of performing, having started singing at the age of 2 on bus rides in Rochdale.  Clearly fizzing with ideas, this could be because she draws inspiration from many sources and genres.   

She certainly has a formidable range of musical talent, a powerful, expressive voice with exquisite diction, and on the evidence of this gig, the gift of engaging audiences from first contact with a spellbinding, intimate act that showcases her passion for great songwriting.  A natural, witty raconteur, one of the many delights of this set were Barb’s between numbers introductions, providing insight into her choice and the song itself. 

Amongst many talents are her choice of collaborators.  On this performance she was accompanied by the best – Simon Wallace on sublime grand piano and arrangements, and  Davide Mantovani on tasteful double bass.  I’m not sure if they were mic’ed or not, but I loved the clarity and tone of the acoustic instruments .  Both players were immaculate throughout and each took well crafted solos in the course of the evening.  A quick glance through Barb’s back catalogue shows she has been collaborating with Simon Wallace over many years and that close relationship really shines through in classy arrangements and flawless performance.

Barb is known principally as a re-interpreter of classic and, apparently to her record label’s vexation, less well known songs, although she is an impressive songwriter in her own right (her Soho Songs suite is brilliant).  That glance through her back catalogue also shows she has been re-interpreting Bob Dylan’s songs for quite a few years now.  In fact, it might be said she is a Dylan obsessive.  (As a lyricist, is there better to obsess over than a Nobel prize winner for literature?).  She seems to have come later to Leonard Cohen, but even so, her “Hard Rain:The Songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen” album was released 10 years ago.  

On this occasion, Cohen songs open and close the show of 12 numbers (score Dylan 6 : Cohen 6) with Dylan dominating the middle section.  As well as being amongst the greatest songwriters of their generation, Cohen & Dylan have the most distinctive of voices in popular music, making these renditions really quite unfamiliar.  It’s like listening to completely new material.  I must say, in Barb’s register, I thought the Dylan material came across far stronger than Cohen’s, although the bluesy treatment of the incomparable “Tower of Song” and popular favourite “Hallelujah” with a bossa nova style rhythm and Barb on egg shaker were excellent.  The others, without Cohen’s deep growl which seems so much part of his art, made less of an impression.

Stand out Dylan songs were the beautifully arranged ballad “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” with lovely bass solo, the jazzy “Mississippi”, and all 10 verses of “Desolation Row”.   The Traveling Wilburys hit “Handle with Care” reminded us of what a supergroup can create for fun.  On a couple of occasions, Barb mentioned her work with various choirs which ended up inspiring her choice of songs and associated arrangements.  One of these was “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”; the other was the dramatic ballad “Kansas City” for which Marcus Mumford/Taylor Goldsmith, fitted music to Dylan’s lyrics and which also included a fine Davide Mantovani bass solo.  Of all the songs performed, these two could have been tailor made for Barb.   She closed the show perfectly with a heartfelt version of Cohen’s “You Got me Singing” in a seeming personal tribute to the influence of two giants of literate songcraft.

Overall, this was a hugely impassioned performance – a special evening of entertainment and top notch musicianship, and one that rightfully highlights the topmost echelons of the tower of song by bringing some forgotten gems of songwriting back into view…

For the record, “Hallelujah” is released as a single and is available for downloading “from every possible known place in all of the planets and solar systems”.

https://slinky.to/Hallelujah

The full programme was:

Song	Writer	Source Album
Everybody Knows	Cohen	I’m Your Man
Tonight Will be Fine	Cohen	Songs From a Room
Slow	Cohen	Popular Problems
Love Minus Zero/No Limit	Dylan	Bringing it All Home
Mississippi	Dylan	Love and Theft
New Morning	Dylan	New Morning
Desolation Row	Dylan	Highway 61 Revisited
Tower of Song	Cohen	I’m Your Man
Handle with Care	Dylan + Traveling Wilburys	Traveling Wilburys
Kansas City	Dylan/Mumford/Goldsmith	The New Basement tapes
Hallelujah	Cohen	Various Positions
You Got me Singing	Cohen	Popular Problems

@sohoplace – until 31 December 2024

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

After a gala night plagued, and eventually halted, by technical issues – the ghost of Charles Dickens resolving the rights loophole perhaps? – Nick Mohammed’s frenetic and fabulous Christmas show is running as smoothly as brandy butter down granny’s chin.

The 2022 run at Soho Theatre embraced the chaotic plot brilliantly, but this slicker and glitzier West End production raises the comedy bar. Mohammed is always hilarious as the egotistical and selfish Mr. Swallow and putting him in a play he hasn’t prepared for – and is wilfully rewriting as he goes along – is comedy gold.

Mr. Swallow and long-suffering partner Mr. Goldsworth (David Elms) are joined by Jonathan (Kieran Hodgson) and Rochelle (Martha Howe-Douglas) to stage the show. Due to rights issues, Goldsworth has rewritten the show with Santa as the central character. Mr. Swallow is ideal to act as the selfish Santa, with Rochelle and Mr. Goldsworth as his elves and Jonathan as Rudolph (Hess), Santa’s lone surviving reindeer. As Santa limits hay rations and looks for tax loopholes, he is visited by the ghost of elf Marley. Santa’s whining and laziness – maybe he could just deliver presents to 5 children? – should ultimately lead to a redemption arc, but the ghosts’ visits (including him annoying Marley with the burning question – 3 ghosts or 3 additional ghosts?) lead to more and more idiocy as Christmas is cancelled and uncancelled.

As Swallow fires constant questions and points out the many plot holes in the script and squabbles with the increasingly frustrated Mr Goldsworth, the Scrooge/Santa story plays out with flashbacks and flash forwards and it all gets ridiculously meta and sillier. We even get the voice of God making an appearance, leading to an excruciatingly funny attempt by Mr. Swallow and company to remember the lyrics to Silent Night before we get to witness the birth of Jesus – complete with midwife.

Musically, Oliver Birch has created a near perfect Christmas variety tone, made even more spectacular by insane lyrics from Mohammed. In true panto style, there is some audience participation and magic, leading to a brilliant physical performance from Mohammed that draws gasps from the audience.

Mohammed’s script is clever and silly, with Mr. Swallow’s overacting and revelling in Santa’s cruelty allowing Mohammed to let rip and have a ball with this ridiculously broad character – a real surprise for those sitting around me who had only seen Mohammed in Ted Lasso (the 2 Emmy nominations get mentioned in the show – obviously!) Elms is wonderfully uptight as poor Mr. Goldsworth and Hodgson is sweetly hangdog as hapless Jonathan. Howe-Douglas is a hoot as Rochelle, leaning into the northern club singer vibe brilliantly (although Rochelle has performed Lloyd Webber shows all round the world, including Horsham)

The skill it takes to perform and direct something that appears so chaotic is incredible, and director Matt Peover and the entire cast are at the top of their game. Emily Holt’s choreography is beautifully judged to make the dancing seem under-rehearsed and the cast excel at switching between the manic grins and wide-eyed consternation of performers who haven’t a clue what may happen next as they move around the stage and present props on Fly Davis’s atmospheric and inventive Santa’s workshop set.

If you’re not feeling Christmasy yet, get down to @sohoplace for A Christmas Carol (ish). If this funny and festive gift of a show doesn’t warm your heart, then bah, humbug to you.

Gala Theatre Durham – until Tuesday 31st December 2024

Reviewed by Sandra Little

4****

This pantomime version of a traditional tale played to a full house of excited children and adults on Saturday evening. The show began with a lively, energetic and colourful song and dance routine and the audience learned that the action takes place in Chester-le-Rue ( real name of this local town is Chester -le-Street). The key characters in this pantomime are Belle (Beth Crame), Madame Perplexe (Zoe Lambert) who is Belle’s eccentric inventor aunt, Jongleur (Jude Nelson) the local travelling minstrel and of course Gourmand (Kieron Michael) the show off that everyone loves to hate! The beast, who we meet later in the story, is played by Suryan Hadrick.

This panto loosely follows the traditional tale where, after several twists and turns, a beautiful and clever young girl finds herself locked in a castle with a very bad tempered beast. In the castle Belle also meets a talking clock called Madame Horloge (Sarah Bulmer) and a street light called Monsieur Brilliant (Adam Donaldson). As we all know Belle eventually falls in love with the beast and the spell is broken, allowing him to return to the handsome Prince Alphonse that he was before a wicked fairy cast a spell on him.

Using the story of Beauty and the Beast as a framework, this production manages to include most of the pantomime traditions that audiences expect at Christmas time. We had lots of the usual audience participation, corny jokes, water squirted at the audience, a slapstick routine, a magical castle, a villain for us all to hate, and of course a happy ever after ending. There was a wacky routine with larger than life forest animals, which appealed to the children in the audience, and the painting of Belle’s book stall proved to be as chaotic and messy as would be expected!

I felt that this pantomime lacked polish on occasions, lines were sometimes rushed and the impact was therefore lost. Costumes were also a little disappointing and did not have the wow factor we might expect from a panto. The beast’s costume in particular was unconvincing and didn’t give him the imposing sense of fear one would expect; however the audience was enthusiastic and keen to participate. Despite these minor issues, it is important to bear in mind that, although this is not the most elaborate or lavish pantomime you will ever see, the ticket price is much lower than some other pantos in the region and still represent excellent value for families.

To end on a positive note the scenery, lighting and props were very effective and added to the dramatic atmosphere of the story. The dancing from the ensemble in this production was absolutely first class and a joy to watch! Kieron Michael as Gourmand approached the role with energy and enthusiasm as did Jude Nelson as Jongleur, meanwhile Beth Crame as Belle was a convincing kind and clever “princess” and I’m sure families who came along to watch this offering from Gala Theatre went home happy and enjoyed the evening.

EVERYMAN THEATRE, LIVERPOOL – UNTIL SATURDAY 18TH JANUARY 2025

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

4****

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas and as we approach the festive season, Liverpool showcases a delightful array of enchanting traditions. However, the real countdown to Christmas in the city officially kicks off with the arrival of the Everyman’s rock ‘n’ roll panto.

This year, the panto team, led by Francesca Goodridge’s dynamic direction, presents an engaging Rock ‘n’ Roll production of Rapunzel that captures (nearly) all of the essential festive elements. This vibrant and humorous reinterpretation of the classic fairy tale, crafted by Jude Christian, features lively musical numbers such as “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles and “That Don’t Impress Me Much” by Shania Twain. It reimagines the classic tale of Rapunzel, infused with rock music, playful costumes, and vibrant characters that leap off the stage. Together, these elements create a thrilling and delightful atmosphere. Set against a modern backdrop, this story presents a rivalry between hairdressers in Liverpool, inviting the audience to engage with the narrative. On press night, it was Rob from Waterloo that gave the best singing performance with the audience cheering him!

The theatre’s in-the-round design helps create a cozy atmosphere, enabling the cast to move freely throughout the space. This dynamic approach often leads to fun and playful moments that delight the young children in the audience, enhancing their overall experience. Meanwhile, the adults shared knowing chuckles at the double entendres, which are an essential part of pantomime.

The multi-talented and enthusiastic performers seamlessly transition between acting and playing in the backing band, greatly enhancing the overall experience.

There were plenty of laughs to be had, particularly thanks to Tomi Ogbaro, who portrayed Trevor, Dame Debbie’s loyal yet hapless assistant, as well as Ed Sheer-am, the noble steed, or shall I say ram. Prince Timotei played by Ben Boskovic, was truly hair-larious, especially in his outrageous Lord Farquaad costume, complete with coconuts for horse clops, reminiscent of the famous Monty Python gag from “The Holy Grail” and a tiny trumpet, to toot his own horn!

When the cast enjoys themselves on stage, especially in a panto, that joy definitely reaches the audience. Last night, both the cast and audience shared plenty of giggles, even when things didn’t go perfectly. For instance, Danny Ruff played by Zoe West nearly stumbled on the steps, which added to the fun!

This production has to be seen to be be-weaved. Rest a-sheared that no matter the hairstyle you’re into, Rapunzel is a cut above the rest!

Norman Bragg Studio, Aylesbury – Saturday 23rd November, Sunday 15th December – Wednesday 18th December 2024

Reviewed by Rachel Clark

4****

What a delight!.

I normally book the theatre on a title and not necessarily check what the full story and background is. This was A Christmas Carol and just expected the traditional play with all the characters on the stage, how wrong I was.

This is a play of the play put on by the Dickens Theatre Co. with only two actors, Samuel Oakes – who plays Ebeneezer Scrooge and Ryan Philpott who plays George Dolby and all other characters.

This is the 10th year of Dickens Theatre Company on tour. There is only a small set and using props of different clothing hanging from a step ladder or two, goes on to create all the characters of the Dickens Novel.

The play is based on a Theatre company going to the theatre to put on the play A Christmas Carol, but the train gets delayed and the show must go on so, with only the cast of two that have turned up. The show is performed with Ebeneezer Scrooge played by Samual Oakes and all other cast members performed by Ryan Philpott. When they first announce it you chuckle and think really! How’s that going to work? but it does and extremely well. The story telling is superb and you feel you are transported into the set and part of the cast just looking on. Ryan did make me giggle when his was playing a part in the Christmas past and his flat cap was offset to the side and I thought of Norman Wisdom and was waiting for him to call for Mr Grimsdale!.

The few children in the audience were a little restless but the adults had there ears and eyes glued to the set as it was so well done, the show had no interval as only 75 ins – but 75 mins of magical storytelling.

York Theatre Royal – Wednesday 20th November 2024

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

3***

Comedian Ivo Graham visited the wonderful city of York and York Theatre Royal, on a blistering cold Wednesday, or maybe it was a Tuesday, or Thursday night. That was a running joke after he had a mishap whilst doing the introductions off stage. Even before that, the York audience were treated to a York quiz projected onto a screen on stage. We were encouraged to email our answers straight to Graham. I am ashamed to say that I struggled to get even one correct answer, but then again I’m a bit of a nomad and not from Yorkshire, let along York. There is also a pre-show slide show, complete with increasing close-ups of York icon, Dame Judy Dench.

This show is structured slightly different that the usual comedy show, where the support act comes on stage first before the main star. Graham is the supposed 15 minute warm up, he did slightly overrun, before the support act, Alex Kealy. Kealy is not only a fellow comic, but also his best friend, who we later learn, went to the same boarding school as Graham. Not your ordinary school, but Eton. Two self-proclaimed posh boys smashing the comedy circuit.

References about his family certainly pulled at the heartstrings, as well as drawing out laughs from the audience. He never hides the fact of his upbringing, making up for a good part of the show. With questions about how many Rupert’s you knew at school, proved the point. How many did you know? I certainly had no one at my school, but funnily enough I did go to a Prince Rupert School, about as posh as I get. The story about how many of his friends and alumni were made redundant on the same day this year, felicitated probably the biggest laugh of the evening.

Throughout the show Graham uses a lot of slides, depicting photos, anything from Kevin McCloud, whose television show has inspired the naming of this one, to Gareth Southgate, someone he admires, trooping the nice men out of their depth. Not only are there photos, but many lists, and Venn diagrams. Who knew that Venn diagrams could, or would be used in comedy? Genius.

His attention span is quite short and he flittered about, jumping from one topic to another. Saying that, his is very articulate and witty, engaging well with the audience. It was great to see a packed out theatre and Graham is obviously well regarded in York and beyond. An entertaining evening in the beautiful city of York. His UK tour continues throughout the UK.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 23rd November 2024

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong is the stage adaptation of his novel of the same name. This 30th anniversary tour is the story of love and loss in the Great War’s long, dark shadow.

James Esler (playing Stephen Wraysford) gave us a sensational, world weary reading totally befitting a man who has lost, loved, lost and yearns for answers amongst the mud, blood and horrors of that pitiful conflict. I detect a major young talent here and was very impressed. Leading lady Charlie Russell (Isabelle Azaire) gave us a sensational performance that was sensitively delivered, displaying a side of her I hadn’t seen before. Already one of my favourite actresses from the “Goes Wrong” franchise, she has gone up in my estimation enormously after tonight’s epic performance. You could feel every anguished moment of her tortuous route negotiating love vs duty. All I can say is “wow”.

The rest of the cast were amazing too, with even the lesser roles cast to perfection. Tipper (Raif Clarke), for instance, was powerfully wrought, giving full vent to the loss of youthful innocence. Roger Ringrose (Bérard) was your a very realistic smarmy politician. Sargon Yelda (Rene Azaire, Isabelle’s husband) gave us a glimpse into a thankfully largely long gone chauvinistic era. Natalie Radmall-Quirke (Jeanne Fourmentier) had a gentle power that was palpable, adding a welcome softness to this tragic tale. I loved her performance.

Jack Firebrace (played to perfection by Max Bowden) was spectacularly well delivered. He truly gave us the full range of emotions in a veritable acting tour-de-force. With Tama Phethean (John, his best friend and he also played Lebrun and Shaw) – they were both an absolute joy to watch and deserve special mention!

The set was inventive; with a static portion cleverly utilised as the house, factory and battlefield with the addition of some scant set dressing. Ingenious – particularly the overhead piece which descended to give us the underground tunnels in all their claustrophobic glory. The costumes were gorgeous, particularly in the first half before the war with the ladies looking stunning in their creations!

Music was poignantly used too to great effect. The song just before going over the top and the one sung by Jack being particularly heart wrenching!

There’s some visceral scenes, especially in the trenches. Director Alastair Whatley didn’t hold back showing the realities of war in all it’s degradation, with full on barrages of artillery fire (so be warned if you jump easily).

A vital watch, a timely reminder (especially the ongoing stain on humanity that is Ukraine and Gaza) and a wake up call. Yes, all that, but also uplifting that the human spirit can overcome such insanity and evil to find love, peace and forgiveness. There’s plenty of humour to enjoy as well, with the Tommies letting off steam and releasing the tension over a few drinks. So, for all the darkness it has enough light to be an enjoyable evening out at the theatre.

This a work that deserves to be watched and supported and one I feel would get even better with repeat viewings. I have no hesitation to wholeheartedly recommend it.

“We are devastated that the press night for A Christmas Carol (ish) could not be completed tonight due to technical difficulties @sohoplace. This the first time since we opened two years ago that we have encountered such a problem. 

“We are working hard to resolve the issues at hand and are in total admiration of the extraordinary cast, production and creative teams led by Nick Mohammed, who have worked so hard to bring such a brilliant show to their audiences. 

“Performances on Friday 22nd November will not go ahead in order to give us time to fully resolve the matter. Audience members present at Thursday’s performance or due to see the show on Friday will be contacted by the box office team.

“We look forward to welcoming audiences back from Saturday.”

A NEW MISSION FROM MISCHIEF

A BRAND-NEW COMEDY FROM THE COMPANY

BEHIND

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG &

THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY

SPECIAL ‘SNEAK PEEK’ OF THE OPENING SCENE

TONIGHT, FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER, AT

THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCES BEGIN IN THE WEST END

ON MONDAY 14 APRIL 2025

Sign-up today at www.spiescomedy.com

Mischief are excited to announce their brand new show, The Comedy About Spies –an action-packed thriller from the company behind the multi-award winning The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy about a Bank Robbery.Performances begin at the Noël Coward Theatre in London on Monday 14 April 2025, with an opening Gala on Tuesday 6 May 2025.

There will be a ‘sneak-peek’ of the opening scene from The Comedy About Spies this evening, Friday 22 November at The Royal Variety Performance in the presence of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen at The Royal Festival Hall.  The Royal Variety Performance will be broadcast on ITV1 on Sunday 15 December.

A photograph of the Mischief company members who are performing at the Royal Albert Hall tonight alongside Royal Variety Performance hosts Amanda Holden and Alan Carr Photo by Ellie Kurttz).

5000 reduced priced tickets will be available to buy via Mischief Tickets at 10am on Wednesday 11 December for 48 hours only, to access sign up at www.MischiefComedy.com. Public on sale will take place at 10am on Friday 13 December. Over 150 tickets are available for £25 or less at every performance.

Set in 1960s London, The Comedy about Spies is a farcical, physical double-crossing caper full of misunderstanding, miscommunication, and mistaken identity.   A rogue British agent steals plans for a top-secret new weapon. Spies from the CIA and the KGB assemble at London’s Piccadilly Hotel to track down the British mole and obtain the file. When a young British couple and an older actor auditioning for the title role in the first James Bond film check into the hotel, the stakes reach boiling point in this hilarious Cold War comedy. 

The Comedy about Spies is written by original Mischief company members Henry Lewis and Henry Shields and directed by Matt Di Carlo.  Cast and further creatives to follow.

The Comedy about Spies is presented by Kenny Wax and Stage Presence in association with Jo Danvers.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre – until 5th January 2025

Reviewed by Emma Millward

5*****

The festive season is upon us, and Birmingham Rep is staging a traditional Dickensian show as its annual Christmas production this year. Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, or to give its full original title, ‘A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being A Ghost Story of Christmas’ was first published in December 1843. Adapted for the stage by Writer Mark Gatiss and directed by Adam Penford., the show first premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2021, before transferring to the Alexandra Palace in London.

As the audience enters the auditorium, the first thing that greets them is the eerie set, dimly lit by an ominous blue light casting a shadow over the tall desks and cabinets of Scrooge and Marley’s Accountants. We meet Ebenezer Scrooge (Matthew Cottle) and Jacob Marley (Rufus Hound), mean-spirited Accountants who berate their Clerk, Bob Cratchit (Oscar Batterham), for daring to request not to work on Christmas Day. As Scrooge and Marley plot how much to cut Cratchit’s wages, Marley dies suddenly. Seven years later, Scrooge is just as mean and still hates Christmas. His Nephew Fred (Lance West) tries unsuccessfully to encourage Scrooge to join his family for Christmas lunch. The ghostly form of Jacob Marley appears, wrapped in heavy chains. He tells Scrooge it is time to change his ways before it is too late. Scrooge can expect to be visited by three spirits who may help him change his fate.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future are as well-known as the character of Scrooge. The audience’s anticipation of their appearance could be felt. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Grace Hogg-Robinson) is a pale-skinned girl with slightly creepy movements. She takes Scrooge back to his childhood and his romance with Belle (Kalifa Taylor). The Ghost of Christmas Present (Mark Theodore) amused the crowd with his ‘magic dust’ sprinkling, which gave Christmas cheer to whoever it touched. He takes Scrooge to see Bob Cratchit and Mrs Cratchit (Rebecca Trehearn) as they celebrate Christmas with their children, where he hears Mrs Cratchit’s scathing comments about Scrooge’s behaviour. Ghost of Christmas Future was suitably chilling; I will not spoil who turns out to be under those dark robes. The scenes of Scrooge’s realisation of the error of his ways are both thought-provoking and touching. Scrooge discovers what happens to Tiny Tim (Ryan Weston) and, ultimately, his own potential destiny. Matthew Cottle excelled in these scenes and showed his comedic abilities when Scrooge nervously tried to be kind to a confused Bob Cratchit.

Paul Wills’ set and costume designs range from minimal for the Cratchit house to total opulence for the Yuletide Ball sequences. Phillip Gladwell’s lighting and Nina Dunn’s video design work well together and perfectly set the spooky scene. Writer Mark Gatiss’s respect for the original book is apparent throughout, especially in the authentic Dickensian language used by characters such as the Narrator (Geoffrey Beevers) and Ghost of Christmas Past. It is a ghost story, but the special effects and jump scares don’t overpower the storyline. They add to it as you are almost on the edge of your seat, waiting for them to occur.

The ensemble features a relatively small cast of 19 actors, but it feels like many more performers, as the actors take dual roles throughout the production. Special mention must be given to the child actors (Takunda Khumalo, Sophie John, River Mahjouri, Corrina Onyiukah, Logan Meers and Orla Rae Wilson), who all have a lot of stage time as many different characters. The stand-out performance, unsurprisingly, was Matthew Cottle as Scrooge. He perfectly captures the changing character of Scrooge from a detestable grump to almost childlike naivety by the end of the show.

All in all, it’s the perfect show to watch this Christmas. It’s heartwarming, visually stunning and spooky. It is a tremendous take on a traditional Christmas story.