A Christmas Carol
Seasonal tale well told
New Era Players deliver Dickens' timely Christmas message
New Era Players: A Christmas Carol, at New Era Theatre, Wash Common, from November 29 to Saturday, December 2 and December 5 to 9
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the quintessential seasonal story. In this version adapted by John Mortimer, New Era Players have entered into the spirit of Victorian England with gusto and strong ensemble playing.
Stephen Bennett is truly impressive as the old miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates everything to do with Christmas and refuses to donate money to help the poor and needy. He perfectly captures Scrooge’s character. He is also reluctant to give his underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit (Neil Dewdney) Christmas day off, lamenting the fact that he will need to pay him.
As Scrooge trudges his way home to his meagre abode, he is visited by his dead partner of some seven years, Marley (Brian Harrington), festooned in chains, who warns him that he has one chance to change his ways or he will face a similar fate. He will be visited by three spirits and must heed their message.
Janet Bennett is splendid as the ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Scrooge on a journey back to his childhood – a time of innocence, but unhappy schooldays. We meet the ebullient Mr Fezziwig (Peter Hendrickx) and his jolly wife, delightfully played by Marian Hatfull, and a young Ebenezer (Paddy Lintin), together with apprentice Dick (Ronan Hatfull), at a Christmas party, which is energetically performed and great fun with dancing, carols and games.
Andy Kempe creates a jovial Christmas Present, guiding Scrooge through the streets of London and visiting Cratchit’s family as they celebrate the Christmas meal. Rose Spillane sings well as the ill Tiny Tim, who, the Spirit tells Scrooge, will die unless events can be changed. Finally, the menacing Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come brings the horrific consequences of Scrooge’s life, showing him his lonely death.
When Scrooge wakes up the following morning, he is a reformed man, having seen the errors of his ways. He sends a huge turkey to the Cratchits and gives him a pay rise, makes an anonymous large gift to the poor and accepts his nephew Fred’s (David Tute) invitation to Christmas dinner.
There is so much to enjoy in director Lisa Harrington’s touching and assured production, from the ensemble storytelling to the splendid costumes (Maddy Winter). All 27 members of the company (too many to name) are to be congratulated on creating such an enjoyable and vibrant production.
A perfect start to the Christmas season.
Robin Strapp
© 2017 Newbury Weekly News
Cast
ENSEMBLE CAST in alphabetical order
Karen Ashby
Janet Bennett
Stephen Bennett
Chris Billingham
Neil Dewdney
Izzy Goldsmith
Vikki Goldsmith
Jack Harman
Brian Harrington
Marian Hatfull
Ronan Hatfull
Peter Hendrickx
Milly Hoggard
Jacob Howard
Keith Keer
Marie Jacobs
Andy Kempe
Beth King
Peter Knightley
Paddy Lintin
Keith Phillips
Graham Salter
Ellen Spillane
Matthew Spillane
Rose Spillane
David Tute
Nigel Winter
Crew
Director – Lisa Harrington
Technical Director – John Cordery
Stage Manager – Steve Johnson
Assistant Stage Manager – Nigel Winter
Lighting / Sound – John Cordery, Crispin Bishop
Prompt – Alexander Greenwood-Forkin, Janet Bennett
Set Construction – Nigel Winter, Peter Knightley, Peter Hendrickx, Andy Kempe
Set Painting – Brian Harrington
Costume Design – Maddy Winter
Wardrobe – Maddy Winter, Julia Calvert, Marie Jacobs
Props – Nicola Johnson, Georgie Gale
Front of House – Vikki Goldsmith
Publicity – Graham Salter
Box Office – Stephen Bennett
Programme – Editor Webb
This is John Mortimer’s adaptation of the Dickens classic Christmas story produced for The Royal Shakespeare Company. The play uses an ensemble of actors telling the tale through the eyes of the Chorus as well as the usual characters, Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Marley’s Ghost and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come.
This dramatization takes us on a roller coaster trip starting with Jacob Marley’s death and thence onward exactly seven years to Christmas Eve, where Scrooge is visited by his dead partner who tells him that if he doesn’t mend his ways he will be saddled in death with all his sins in the form of heavy chains. To help him see the errors of his way he is visited by three spirits which remind him of his past, show him his present and indicate his future.
Our cast take on various roles and help the audience navigate the story through narrative and you will also hear some favourite Christmas Carols.
Seasonal tale well told
New Era Players deliver Dickens' timely Christmas message
New Era Players: A Christmas Carol, at New Era Theatre, Wash Common, from November 29 to Saturday, December 2 and December 5 to 9
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the quintessential seasonal story. In this version adapted by John Mortimer, New Era Players have entered into the spirit of Victorian England with gusto and strong ensemble playing.
Stephen Bennett is truly impressive as the old miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates everything to do with Christmas and refuses to donate money to help the poor and needy. He perfectly captures Scrooge’s character. He is also reluctant to give his underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit (Neil Dewdney) Christmas day off, lamenting the fact that he will need to pay him.
As Scrooge trudges his way home to his meagre abode, he is visited by his dead partner of some seven years, Marley (Brian Harrington), festooned in chains, who warns him that he has one chance to change his ways or he will face a similar fate. He will be visited by three spirits and must heed their message.
Janet Bennett is splendid as the ghost of Christmas Past, who takes Scrooge on a journey back to his childhood – a time of innocence, but unhappy schooldays. We meet the ebullient Mr Fezziwig (Peter Hendrickx) and his jolly wife, delightfully played by Marian Hatfull, and a young Ebenezer (Paddy Lintin), together with apprentice Dick (Ronan Hatfull), at a Christmas party, which is energetically performed and great fun with dancing, carols and games.
Andy Kempe creates a jovial Christmas Present, guiding Scrooge through the streets of London and visiting Cratchit’s family as they celebrate the Christmas meal. Rose Spillane sings well as the ill Tiny Tim, who, the Spirit tells Scrooge, will die unless events can be changed. Finally, the menacing Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come brings the horrific consequences of Scrooge’s life, showing him his lonely death.
When Scrooge wakes up the following morning, he is a reformed man, having seen the errors of his ways. He sends a huge turkey to the Cratchits and gives him a pay rise, makes an anonymous large gift to the poor and accepts his nephew Fred’s (David Tute) invitation to Christmas dinner.
There is so much to enjoy in director Lisa Harrington’s touching and assured production, from the ensemble storytelling to the splendid costumes (Maddy Winter). All 27 members of the company (too many to name) are to be congratulated on creating such an enjoyable and vibrant production.
A perfect start to the Christmas season.
Robin Strapp
© 2017 Newbury Weekly News
Cast
ENSEMBLE CAST in alphabetical order
Karen Ashby
Janet Bennett
Stephen Bennett
Chris Billingham
Neil Dewdney
Izzy Goldsmith
Vikki Goldsmith
Jack Harman
Brian Harrington
Marian Hatfull
Ronan Hatfull
Peter Hendrickx
Milly Hoggard
Jacob Howard
Keith Keer
Marie Jacobs
Andy Kempe
Beth King
Peter Knightley
Paddy Lintin
Keith Phillips
Graham Salter
Ellen Spillane
Matthew Spillane
Rose Spillane
David Tute
Nigel Winter
Crew
Director – Lisa Harrington
Technical Director – John Cordery
Stage Manager – Steve Johnson
Assistant Stage Manager – Nigel Winter
Lighting / Sound – John Cordery, Crispin Bishop
Prompt – Alexander Greenwood-Forkin, Janet Bennett
Set Construction – Nigel Winter, Peter Knightley, Peter Hendrickx, Andy Kempe
Set Painting – Brian Harrington
Costume Design – Maddy Winter
Wardrobe – Maddy Winter, Julia Calvert, Marie Jacobs
Props – Nicola Johnson, Georgie Gale
Front of House – Vikki Goldsmith
Publicity – Graham Salter
Box Office – Stephen Bennett
Programme – Editor Webb
This is John Mortimer’s adaptation of the Dickens classic Christmas story produced for The Royal Shakespeare Company. The play uses an ensemble of actors telling the tale through the eyes of the Chorus as well as the usual characters, Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Marley’s Ghost and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come.
This dramatization takes us on a roller coaster trip starting with Jacob Marley’s death and thence onward exactly seven years to Christmas Eve, where Scrooge is visited by his dead partner who tells him that if he doesn’t mend his ways he will be saddled in death with all his sins in the form of heavy chains. To help him see the errors of his way he is visited by three spirits which remind him of his past, show him his present and indicate his future.
Our cast take on various roles and help the audience navigate the story through narrative and you will also hear some favourite Christmas Carols.
