Christmas Carol - The Musical (St Alphege Musical Production Society)

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and this is the first festive production I’ve reviewed for 2018, the journey from bad to good that Ebeneezer Scrooge takes through this immortal tale from Charles Dickens never loses its appeal. There are many musical interpretations to choose from and this one with Music by Alan Menken and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens is an increasingly popular one performed here at The Core Theatre, Solihull by St Alphege Musical Production Society (STAMPS).

Only after the performance and reading the programme in a bit more depth did I realise what an important role Robert Bateman has taken in this production, not only as Director/Choreographer but, on stage as the jovial, larger than life Ghost of Christmas Present and in a nice little twist from the writers, alongside his other ghostly compatriots, within the ensemble chorus for many of the crowd scenes.

Scrooge himself is played in quite reserved fashion by Richard Bateman, still as cantankerous as ever and eventually accepting that he needs to change for the greater good. Educating him along that route in addition to the aforementioned ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ are his now deceased partner Jacob Marley played with powerful intent by Chris Cooper, delivering the song ‘Link by Link’ with vigour whilst flying in ghostly style. Becky Wicketts strangely enchanting dance and song driven ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ and the silently scary ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ played by Kathy Lovell.

Scrooge’s much put upon clerk Bob Cratchitt, played in typically downtrodden style by Tony Faughnan, providing in conjunction with Lynne Davis as Mrs Cratchitt and a strong vocal performance from William Wharton as Tiny Tim, just the right Dickensian Family Unit that every audience would expect.

Notable other individual performances include an appropriately enthusiastic Mr & Mrs Fezziwig from Andrew Halliday and Helen Hunter, a strong singing performance from Zoe-Nicole Wheat as Scrooge’s fiance Emily and a nice piece of character acting from Mike Smith as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, all of course supported by an extensive and passionate supporting cast both young and more mature.

For me this is a complex musical piece so all credit must go to the musicians, led with composure by Musical Director, Phil Ypres-Smith for building that atmospheric feel of Christmas in November.

Running until 10th November 2018, there can never be too much Dickensian Christmas so grab some tickets and get yourself into the Christmas Spirit.

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