A Christmas Carol, Viking Theatre

Being very familiar, even overly familiar, with a perennial work such as Charles Dickens'A Christmas Carol, makes it tricky to tell again and again. Naturally each time it is adapted to the stage will be different - for better or worse. Here it is for the better because Michael James Ford's adaptation, returning to the Viking Theatre, places the rich, dramatic language of Dicken's story to the fore. 

A bit like Bob Cratchet's house, or Scrooge's office, the set has a rustic, bare feel. An upright piano is to the side, something a little different from what we might suspect alongside the wooden table, chairs and hat stand. The three players - Helene Montague, Ruairi Heading and Ford himself- tell the tale with a directness and a sense of fun. Scrooge is sufficiently miserly and it is easy to believe he would be the worst employer ever, and his dislike of people, and politicians, is palpable. As are all the other characters the players bring to life with a variety to make them both interesting and different. The more descriptive aspects of Dickens' story comes across very well, partly because of the language itself, the way it is written, as well as the feel of the whole production.

The whole production has a rugged, music hall feel. The rough and ready style makes it really engaging. The sense of a group of players rolling up, setting up and delivering the story is there the second you walk in the door. The large, grey, winter sky backdrop, with the roofs of houses and buildings along the bottom reminds us of Dickens' London, and those old Victorian style Christmas cards. They actors ask us through their commitment, and strong start, to come along on this journey, and we do, willingly. Perhaps that is the true key - here they tell the story and keep to the original novel very well. 

It is helped by the use of the piano for underscoring, at one stage a sequence of carols are played quietly, also employing it for sound effects. This all adds to the atmosphere and helps the story telling well. There are some lovely moments in staging with the Ghost of Christmas Future brought to life well, and the use of different levels from ordinary objects give perspective, all lit well.

It flows along with no interval, making great use of the set to convey the story, time and place with a sense of magic and theatricality. All of this is great considering the directing credit is 'The Company', which did give me some shivers when I read it. Thankfully the result is much better than one lump of coal. It is a roaring fire instead. 

Also, it is Christmas, and it is always good to have Christmas themed plays to go to. In all, there is a simplicity to this, executed well, but then, simplicity can be underrated; with Antelope and Viking Theatre's production of this timeless tale, simplicity is the magic that brings it all together. Even Scrooge himself wouldn't be able to sit through this and not end up surrendering to the spirit of Christmas, and the fine, dramatic story telling of Dicken's himself, that is perfect for the season that's in it.