Wonderful production delights the audience

A Christmas Carol, RSC, Stratford, to Jan 20.

This production of the Dickens story adapted by David Edgar, and directed by Rachel Kavanagh, makes good use of a stage that reaches out into the audience.

With a live orchestra, terrific special effects, the clever use of lighting and sound, the ever-popular story of miserly Scrooge being made to see the error of his ways does not fail to delight the audience.

There’s all the laughter, sorrow and drama that you might expect, but this adaptation includes a young Charles Dickens (Joseph Timms) in a lead role. With his friend and editor, John Forster (Beruce Khan) at his side, criticising and encouraging the author as he creates his story, we see Dickens drawing on his own experiences to create his wonderful characters. The acting, costumes and scenery are faultless and there are some powerful, atmospheric scenes that are truly memorable.

It’s an excellent cast. Aden Gillett makes the character of Scrooge his own right from the start, and the way he draws the audience even closer in the final scenes is very enjoyable.

Claire Carrie makes a suitably haunting entrance as the Ghost of Christmas Past; Danielle Henry is a lively, vibrant Ghost of Christmas Present, and the silent little child Ghost of Christmas Future is brilliantly sinister. Three youngsters take turns playing this sombre character, Abbey Elston, Eve Hatz and Phoebe Nock.

Special mention also to Bob Cratchit (Gerard Carey) who gets a huge cheer from the audience when he finally speaks his mind to Scrooge, and the role of Tiny Tim who always pulls at the heartstrings, is shared by Thomas Dawson, Tommy Duxbury, Kieran Lilley and Benjamin Pritchett. It's a wonderful production that will make your Christmas complete! For tickets visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/

Picture by Manuel Harlan (c) RSC