Review: A Christmas Carol – Even dreary January can’t dull the appeal of Dickens’ festive tale of redemption

Copyright: RSC, Photo by: Manuel Harlan

It might be January, but the popularity and appetite for A Christmas Carol has not waned despite the festive period being well and truly behind us. Written in 1843, it is arguably one of Charles Dickens’ most beloved and well known fables. A Christmas Carol is the story of a cruel and unfeeling businessman who is haunted by three spirits on Christmas Eve taking him on a journey of self-discovery and realisation, leading to hopeful redemption.

Reimagined for television, film and the stage countless times, it returns to the RSC for the second consecutive year, with esteemed playwright, David Edgar back at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon with a refreshed cast. Edgar has a long and successful history with the RSC dating back to 1976 with his 1980 adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby being a hugely celebrated highlight of their collaborations.

The production, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh (The Wind in the Willows) is led by Aden Gillett (The House of Eliott) in the role of the curmudgeonly, unfeeling and self-serving Ebenezer Scrooge. Gillett and Kavanaugh have recent history having worked together on the 2018 UK tour of Terence Rattigan’s 1946 drama, The Winslow Boy.

Gillett plays Scrooge with a believable authority, barking the now infamous exclamation of “Bah Humbug” at anyone who dare send some Christmas cheer his way.

He brings a new dimension to the role, which starkly contrasts Phil Davis’s interpretation in 2017.  In contrast to Davis, Gillett is slender and lanky with pointed and angular features which are further complemented his stringy, greasy hair. He is a somewhat sprightly and light footed Scrooge more akin to the Jim Carey take on the character in the 2009 animated version by Disney. Saying that, he is far from a caricature and embodies Scrooge with a believable and nuanced performance; he delivers Scrooge’s most famous and iconic lines with authority.

The wider and supporting cast is also strong. Claire Carrie and Danielle Henry are dynamic in their roles of the Ghost of Christmas Past and Present respectively. Many of the actors play due roles within the production and do so with aplomb. However, it is the wife of Scrooge’s poverty stricken clerk Bob Cratchit that impresses. Emma Pallant offers incredible strength and depth to Mrs Cratchit creating a hugely formidable character. Gerard Carey offers a charming take on Bob Cratchit, but it is in the final moments of the play that he truly shines. Under the impression he has been relieved of his situation Bob delivers some home truths to Scrooge much to the delight of the audience and to the amusement of Scrooge himself. Carey delivers this scene beautifully and it is hard not to break out in applause as he takes his leave, slamming the door behind him.

What gives Edgar’s production the edge over others, is the use of Dickens himself as a conduit to the story, explaining in real time the inspiration behind the plot and his aspirations for its influence. Having been forced to leave school aged twelve to work in a warehouse; Dickens was driven by his own terrible experiences of child labour. Dickens and his editor and friend John Forster act as narrators, come participants in the story. This approach does affect the momentum of the play, causing it to become somewhat staccato but it works. Having Dickens himself provide contextualisation of the story offers a different and refreshing dimension.

The staging is clever, set in a cold and frigid Victorian London, snow falls in periods and the static background of many scenes take the form of a dark and dreary Victorian tenement building. The lighting and use of special effects serve to deliver a visual feast. The contrast of the staging is particularly effective during the bright and cheerful scenes of Christmas Present versus the morose, maudlin and dark foreboding of Christmas yet to come.

A Christmas Carol once again delivers. Despite Dickens’ commitment to highlighting the plight of the poor, the production doesn’t feel overly political. In fact, the themes of redemption and the human capacity to transform and evolve are front and centre. The popularity and relevance of A Christmas Carol are still incredibly prevalent today and Scrooge’s redemption will surely continue to resonate for years to come.

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