A Tale of Two (More) Scrooges – A Christmas Carol at Park Theatre // Alexandra Palace, London

A review of Cratchit at the Park Theatre and A Christmas Carol at Alexandra Palace Theatre. Two more great versions to choose from, continuing my annual tradition of overdosing on Charles Dickens’ seasonal ghost story.

Christmas 2021: Concern And Comfort In The Familiar

In December 2020 I wrote a double review of versions of A Christmas Carol. One in person at the Bridge Theatre, and the other streamed online from the Old Vic. In 2020, I had been hedging my bets. By great good fortune, my tickets to the Bridge turned out to be their reopening night between lockdowns. And if that had fallen through, I knew I had Jack Thorne’s adaptation to look forward to at the Old Vic.

Until a couple of weeks ago, I honestly didn’t think we would be in a similarly precarious position this Christmas. I’ve been merrily going to see various performances since May. I’ve been comfortable with full audiences even though I’ve personally chosen to wear a mask throughout. So the speed with which Omicron has turned everything on its head has been startling.

At times like this, my natural inclination is to turn to familiar things for comfort. Luckily, this all happened in December and I already had tickets booked to my favourite cosy seasonal tale, that of Ebenezer Scrooge and his visitation by ghosts one Christmas Eve. This year’s versions are varied, which is why I had booked both. For purists, we have a traditional take on A Christmas Carol (with extra emphasis on the ghostly nature of the story) at the Alexandra Palace Theatre. The work of Mark Gatiss, it is a loving tribute to this tale which resonates with so many of us. And over at the Park Theatre, there is an adaptation by Alexander Knott. Cratchit, as the name suggests, follows not Ebenezer Scrooge but Bob Cratchit – Scrooge’s long-suffering clerk and father to Tiny TIm – as he navigates his own ghostly visitations.

Both are on until early January, so you may (Covid and Christmas-time willing) be able to catch either or both as you please.

Cratchit – Park Theatre

Last year I boldly stated that, when it came to A Christmas Carol, I was very much a purist. Well, there are limits to how far you can take that and still see a production or two a year. And when I saw the Park Theatre’s offering, where it is Bob Cratchit and not Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by ghosts, I was intrigued.

I was not disappointed. Cratchit, written and directed by Alexander Knott, is a very clever concept. So clever, in fact, that although it takes a completely different direction, it can actually stand alongside the events of the original. Familiar events on Christmas Eve (the visits of Scrooge’s nephew and the two charitable ‘gentlemen’ to Scrooge’s offices) are the catalysts for ghostly goings on. The ghosts are not the same ones we know from Scrooge’s tale, but instead take us on a time-bending (and at times slightly confusing) journey as far as the present day. In the end, just as Scrooge gets his heart back, Bob Cratchit gets his hope back. Much may have changed but this is still a heartwarming tale of Christmas-time redemption.

It is also an adeptly-acted two-hander. John Dagliesh is in the title role, supported by Freya Sharp. Both take on a number of different characters, achieved through either costume changes, or changes in lighting and demeanour to indicate someone new is speaking. It’s quite a feat, and really rather effective. Dagliesh creates a great rapport with the audience, addressing us collectively as ‘Sir’ throughout. He shows off a tremendous acting range. Sharp manages a challenging role well, dashing around to take on different characters and stepping in with a more comical approach as a foil to Cratchit’s rage and hopelessness.

Putting The Suffering Back Into Victorian England

The thing about Dickens is that he shone a light on various injustices and inequalities that he saw about him, but he did it in a way that heightened readers’ emotions. His characters suffer, and sometimes die, but at the same time they tend to be quite caricatured. There are the deserving poor, rascals, out of touch rich people, figures of authority – many with invented names which indicate if they’re a ‘goodie’ or ‘baddie’. They are stand-ins for the real social phenomena that Dickens saw around him. But they’re not really true to life.

What Cratchit does from start to finish is to make Bob Cratchit a real person again. After all, he’s truly suffering. He works for a horrible miser but is living hand to mouth so can’t afford to leave and find something better. His eldest children have been sent to work, and they are still so poor that Tiny Tim is doomed unless Scrooge changes his ways. This, and worse, was the reality for so many in Victorian England. (And we’re kidding ourselves if we think things are so different now.)

But anyway, this Bob Cratchit is angry. He sees the injustices for what they are. His cheerful demeanour, making the best of his lot, is a mask which is beginning to slip. The angry phase may go on just a touch too long (at least in my opinion), but it refocuses our attention on what Dickens was trying to tell us, and how this message relates to our own lives now. This is a successful reworking of a much-loved tale and I think Dickens would have approved (albeit in a slightly bemused fashion when he saw Tiny Tim in silver hotpants).

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

Cratchit on until 8 January 2022

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story

To say that Alexandra Palace Theatre itself is the star of the show is unfair. You will admit, however, after looking at the image above, that it is pretty special. This was my first time here, and in fact Alexandra Palace only reopened its theatre in 2018 after major renovations. The reason for its unique look is that it was disused from 1936, frozen in time and slowly decaying. And the reason that it fell out of use in the first place? The architect was not an experienced theatre designer, and created something closer to a large concert room. As part of the restoration, the entire theatre was re-raked to improve the audience experience and sight lines. The air of faded grandeur was however retained.

A great place, then, to stage a ghostly Victorian tale. And the staging of Mark Gatiss’s adaptation, while it started out in the Nottingham Playhouse before transferring to London, has been designed perfectly for this space. Adam Penford and Paul Wills have created a flexible set design. Towers of filing cabinets are a perfect cramped office for the opening scenes with Scrooge and Marley; with some quick work by the stagehands they transform into a city backdrop and more besides. There is little chance to move things on- and offstage at Alexandra Palace, so a projection (by Video Designer Nina Dunn) takes us through past, present and future, from London to a coal mine to a ship on the ocean.

And another nice touch which uses this unique space well are some of the ghosts themselves. Gatiss very consciously positions his version of A Christmas Carol as a ghost story, and doesn’t skimp on the supernatural. As Jacob Marley lends Scrooge the ability to see the many ghosts moving through London, a handful of them move through the audience. I came very close to getting a fright, which I’m not sure any other version of A Christmas Carol has achieved!

A Christmas Carol: Traditional With A Few Twists

Gatiss’s love of A Christmas Carol means that this version is very close to the original. Purists like me will enjoy the fact that some of the best lines have made it in. And the story progresses in the way that we remember. One design element that I particularly enjoyed is Paul Will’s costumes are based on John Leech’s original illustrations of A Christmas Carol. Marley, Scrooge and the ghosts look just like they ought to. Elsewhere, there are more modern touches. Gatiss uses his background in comedy to bring out a little extra humour. There are a couple of set pieces (including the Cratchits at dinner) which I sometimes found a little jarring but kept things interesting. The result is a loving tribute to the original without being overly indebted to it.

However, one thing I noticed as I reflected on my second Christmas Carol outing of the year was that Scrooge himself gets a little lost in this adaptation. Perhaps it’s that there is a narrator explaining some of the action rather than assigning lines to Scrooge himself? Whatever it is, while Nicholas Farrell has some great moments (I loved his joyous celebration when he finally reaches Christmas morning), I sometimes forgot he was there. He’s a little on the sidelines.

Overall, however, this version is good fun. The actors all wear mics to make themselves heard in the big auditorium, but it still feels quite intimate. The action moves at a decent pace, and the company are solidly good throughout. This is a perfect Christmas Carol to take the family to, or for a fun night out with a group of friends. I’m certainly glad I saw both – and now it only remains for me to say, God bless us, every one!

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3.5/5

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story on until 9 January 2022