Alan Menken (mus), Lynn Ahrens (lyr and book), Mike Ockrent (book), based on the story by Charles Dickens
Lowry, Salford
December 13-January 5, 2024; 2hrs 30 mins
The great thing about good theatre - and A Christmas Carol, The Musical is a good piece of musical theatre - is that it liberates your imagination.
Evalina Scrooge (Claire Moore), reminds me, irresistibly, of current political theatre. The first female chancellor with an iron grip on the national purse, and an urge to take money from old people. Boo. And there is Mari McGinlay as the ghost of Christmas past - Lord Mandelson, naturally - reminding us of all the good times when we were young and Mr Blair was in his prime and everything was possible...
Then there's James Hume - the Ghost of Christmas Present; like Keir Starmer without glasses but with a sense of fun, reminding us that actually, the future is pretty bleak. Despite this message James still keeps us in a festive mood thanks to his personality, and with the help of talented dancing from the ensemble.
Finally we have Josie Benson as the Ghost of Christmas Future, or as I like to think of her, Ed Milliband in a wonderful costume, telling us that unless we change our wasteful ways we are doomed to a cold, bleak future.
Fortunately, the spirit of Christmas is reignited by some wonderful music; Alan Mencken in almost-Sondheim form. And the cast – as always with a Hope Mill Theatre production, which is at the Lowry for the scale of the show - can sing, dance and act all at the same time. They are in wonderful costumes too, take a bow, designer Lorraine Parry.
Hope Mill has a long-standing commitment to training young people by way of its in-house academy, and it shows, obviously, with several very young people playing substantial roles. All were excellent, but I was especially taken with Marnie Fletcher, all smiles and teeth, playing Evelina at eight and clearly having a wonderful time.
In all the ensemble acting and dancing, one person stands out for her vim, vigour and wonderful hair. Josie Benson is not just a ghost; she also plays Mrs Fezziwig and, a surprise, a blind old hag - all of which she takes to with aplomb. And a big hood.
What makes this production special isn't just the music, actors and imagination; it’s also the choreographer, George Lyons, with his ability to produce special effects from a talented team.
Hope Mill's co-directors, Joseph Houston and William Whelton, have an ambition to make the North West a hotbed of musicals, and with one they are clearly well on their way to bigger productions that break out of the small-scale nature of their often-brilliant shows at their small home base up the road in Ancoats.
More info and tickets here
