by Even the dimensions of Ebenezer Scrooge’s office are mean. Jess Curtis’s clever set houses three London townhouses, thin, tall and grey, made entirely of slate and soot. They turn to reveal the cramped interior as Scrooge (Gareth Williams) climbs the stairs, past Bob Cratchit (Oliver Mawdsley), who sits at a narrow desk. It has the effect of making a large stage seem claustrophobic.
Adam Foley’s sparse lighting enhances the effect, rarely raising the color temperature above sepia. A hearty scene in orange is as warm as it gets. This Scrooge is a miser in bad times. Candles are an extravagance.
There is little unexpected about Tom Bellerby’s production or Mike Kenny’s adaptation of the Charles Dickens standard. No one tries to lighten the severity with humor or lighten things up by interacting with the audience. Some of this would have been welcome, but their approach is to trust a time-honored story and present it clearly. The audience remains spellbound.
Bellerby takes Dickens’ title literally by filling the show with harmonious Christmas carols. Musical director Sonum Batra bolsters the lineup with guitar, accordion, violin and tuba as a communal counterpoint to Scrooge’s money-centered individualism. It is the season of merriment for everyone except Scrooge, although he is rather taken by the extended scenes of folk dancing; The best pleasures are free.
Kenny stays true to the original, but downplays the pathos of the Tiny Tim story: you’d think the boy just coughed a little. The Ghost of Christmas Past is an innocent youth; Christmas present is a childbearing heather in leafy green; and Christmas Future is a mourning figure with a cello. No wonder Scrooge is afraid.
Played by Williams, Scrooge is a bearded miser, blunt and emotionally inarticulate. He learns his lesson from a series of chilling vignettes, not least the writhing bodies rising from a grave he narrowly avoids. He watches with his mouth open before returning rejuvenated and alert.
The result is a sophisticated and captivating production, rich in detail and musical vibrancy, although lacking in emotional punch.
