A Christmas Carol gets star casting

This festive season, Jermyn Street Theatre and Guildford Shakespeare Company are set to present their online version of Charles Dickens' well-known and much-loved classic tale, A Christmas Carol.

The show will play online from Thursday 17 December until 27 December with tickets scheduled to go on sale from 10 November for priority booking, followed by general booking one week later.

Adapted from the original by Naylah Ahmed and directed by Natasha Rickman, A Christmas Carol will star Penelope Keith and Brian Blessed as the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present and Jim Findley (who was appearing in Jermyn Street Theatre's The Tempest when lockdown was announced in March) will play the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.

The show will also feature children from Guildford Shakespeare Company's drama clubs as the Cratchit children and there's further casting still to be announced.

Writer Naylah Ahmed has worked extensively for BBC TV and Radio and is a core script writer for The Archers and director Natasha Rickman is a Jermyn Street Associate Artist who earlier in 2020 directed The Time Machine for Creation Theatre at the London Library and its later virtual adaptation during lockdown.

Guildford Shakespeare Company co-founder Matt Pinches said ...

"We're so excited to be creating this special adaptation of Dickens' enchanting story.

Its themes of compassion and community have never been more important, and this innovative production will light up the hearts of all who see it.

We're indebted to the imagination of the whole artistic team for bringing this heart-warming tale to your living room, and to Penelope and Brian for granting us their time and talent."

Tom Littler, Artistic Director of Jermyn Street Theatre added ...

"What a festive treat!

A Christmas Carol is a wonderful way for families and friends to get together, wherever they may be, to share in the joy of a truly Christmassy story.

Naylah and Natasha are creating a brilliant adaptation that will be enjoyed as much by grandparents as by grandchildren.

Put your feet up on your own sofa, pour a glass of something delicious, and take a break in Dickensian London."

Show listing information

Synopsis

On Christmas Eve, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas, is visited by four ghosts, seeking to redeem him from his terrible fate.

Only by travelling through time, to the past, through the present and into the future, can Scrooge learn the error of his ways and save his soul.

On Christmas Day he awakes a new man and promises to "honour Christmas in his heart and all year round".

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Cast

Scrooge - JIM FINDLEY

Ghost of Christmas Past - PENELOPE KEITH

Ghost of Christmas Present - BRIAN BLESSED

Further casting to be announced

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Creatives

Author: Charles Dickens, adapted by Naylah Ahmed
Director: Natasha Rickman
Costume designer: Anett Black
Sound: Matt Eaton
Video designer: Beth Mann (Virtual background and filming)
Production: Jermyn Street Theatre and Guildford Shakespeare Company

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Venue

Online

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Dates

From: Thursday 17 December 2020

Closes: Sunday 27 December 2020

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Tickets

Standard:

£20 per device (max two people per device)

Strictly limited availability

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Links

Show website
ActDrop full listing for A Christmas Carol

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