THIS is very much a contemporary in-touch-with-his-feelings type of Scrooge.
He’s not so much ‘bah humbug’ – although there is certainly plenty of bah-humbugging early on – rather someone afflicted by obsessive compulsive disorder who just needs a bit of TLC in order to become a decent human being.
In other words, director Amanda Knott gives us a modern style of victim character, rather than a villain, a miserable soul who through no fault of his own is imprisoned by a miserly view of the world.
Consequently, Derek Frood’s Ebenezer is almost likeable, no one really taking the snarls and grimaces all that seriously. This means that when he’s tormented by the three spirits and made to face up to his skinflint reality, deep in our hearts we know that conversion is but a facial expression away.
Helping him on his road to Damascus are – playing among others - Katherine Senior (Fanny, Mrs Cratchit, Mrs Fezziwig), George Jennings (Fred, young Scrooge) and Edward Ferrow as Bob Cratchit and Jacob Marley, who is the first to warn the old misery that time will soon run out unless he starts to change his ways.
This production of Charles Dickens’ eternal tale of remorse and redemption comes to Malvern courtesy of Creative Cow and Exeter’s Northcott Theatre.
The author worked in this Devon town as a journalist for several years and I’d like to think he would have heartily approved of Jamie Huddlestone’s compositions and inspired musical direction.
His choice of using guitar, fiddle and English concertina to provide the sound commentary provided some truly glorious interludes, especially the ensemble dance sequences.
A Christmas Carol runs until Saturday, January 16.