Christmas Carol - a fairy tale
London theatre news: Thursday 19 September 2019
Off-West End - Shows
Sally Dexter is set to be the first female Scrooge in Wilton's Music Hall's festive production of 'Christmas Carol - a fairy tale' by Piers Torday based on the story by Charles Dickens.
Image courtesy Wilton's Music Hall
Christmas Carol - a fairy tale is the magical new production which will running at Wilton's Music Hall this festive season from 29 November 2019 to 4 January 2020.
The cast will be led by Olivier Award-winning Sally Dexter starring as the first ever female Scrooge to appear on a London stage!
Musical theatre legend and soap opera superstar Sally Dexter takes on the role of Fan Marley, the late Ebeneezer Scrooge's sister who married Marley and who, as his widow, has inherited the business and his reputation as the meanest miser in town.
Notorious as the lonely, penny-pinching and downright malicious misanthrope and despised by all who cross her path, three spirits visit Fan on Christmas Eve to show her why she must change her nasty ways.
Known to many as Emmerdale's Faith Dingle, Sally has appeared in some of the West End's most loved productions including Billy Elliot The Musical and Oliver! and won an Olivier Award for her performance in Dalliance at the Lyttleton Theatre.
Joining Sally in this magical retelling of Charles Dickens' classic story will be Chisara Agor (The Wizard of Oz at Birmingham Rep, Bring It On at Southwark Playhouse), Joseph Hardy (The Cherry Orchard at Bristol Old Vic and Manchester Royal Exchange, Uncle Vanya at HOME Theatre) and Edward Harrison (The Strange Case of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde at Storyhouse, Chester), Skellig at Nottingham Playhouse).
Brendan Hooper (The Homecoming and Pygmalion at The Citizens Theatre), Ruth Ollman (Still Alice, UK tour and The Turn of the Screw at Clapham Omnibus) and Yana Penrose (How Love is Spelt at Southwark Playhouse, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Regent's Park Open Air) complete the cast, bringing the story to life on the stage of the world's oldest music hall.
The show is brought to Wilton's by the team behind the critically-acclaimed The Box of Delights, and the adaptation has been written especially for Wilton's Music Hall by children's author Piers Torday (The Frozen Sea, The Last Wild), with design by Tom Piper and directed by Stephanie Street, previously seen in James Graham's Quiz and Nightwatchmen at the National Theatre.
Brimming with spellbinding magic, haunting music and out-of-this-world puppetry, arguably the most famous festive story ever written will be retold beautifully at the most Christmassy theatre in London.
Show listing information
Synopsis
Scrooge. As you've never seen her before …
1838, London. Jacob Marley is dead. And so is Ebenezer Scrooge …
In our story, Ebenezer died young, but his sister Fan married Marley and, as his widow, has now inherited his moneylending business.
She rapidly becomes notorious as the most monstrous miser ever known, a legendary misanthrope, lonely, and despised by all who cross her path.
Seven years later, on Christmas Eve, Fan Scrooge will be haunted by three spirits.
They want her to change. But will she?
This Christmas, rediscover a classic British fairy tale.
Refreshed and relevant for the 21st century, this traditional story inspired by the politics of nineteenth century London comes to life in the true Dickensian atmosphere of the world's oldest surviving music hall, Wilton's Music Hall.
Brought to you by the team that gave you the sellout The Box of Delights, expect spellbinding magic, haunting music, and petrifying puppets in this triumphant retelling.
The first ever female Scrooge on the English stage.
Things are going to be different. Very different ...
Cast
Sally Dexter as Scrooge
Chisara Agor
Joseph Hardy
Edward Harrison
Brendan Hooper
Ruth Ollman
Yana Penrose
Creatives
Author: Piers Torday
Composer: Ed Lewis
Director: Stephanie Street
Designer: Tom Piper
Lighting: Katharine Williams
Sound: Ed Lewis
Movement: Emma Brunton
Puppetry: Jo Lakin (designer); Emma Brunton (director)
Production: Wilton's Music Hall
Venue
London
E1 8JB
Dates
From: Friday 29 November 2019
Closed: Saturday 4 January 2020
Tickets
Standard: £12.50 - £36
Concessions: £10 - £32
Links
Show website
ActDrop full listing for Christmas Carol - a fairy tale
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