A Christmas Carol brings festive cheer to Birmingham Rep.
Charles Dickens’ much-loved classic bursts on to The Rep stage to provide the perfect festive treat this Christmas. The Rep’s brand new staging of A Christmas Carol opens from 27nd November- 4th January.
This fabulous new stage adaptation, aimed at audiences from age seven upwards, will bring to life Dickens’ timeless and heart-warming tale of redemption, and promises to banish all those Christmas Bah Humbugs with lashings of goodwill and Christmas cheer!
On a cold, bleak, biting Christmas Eve seven years after the death of his business partner Jacob Marley, London’s meanest miser Ebeneezer Scrooge is his usual grumpy old self. Scrooge hates Christmas, calling it ‘Humbug!’ His only act of seasonal generosity is to offer his poor overworked clerk Bob Cratchit, Christmas day off. But as the clock strikes midnight his world will be turned upside down. Three ghosts are visiting him to offer visions of a happy past, a harsh present and a horrific future. Can they convince Scrooge to change his wicked ways in time for Christmas?
A cast of thirteen will bring Dickens’ wonderful characters to life. Playing Scrooge will be Matthew Ashforde with Guy Lewis as Bob Cratchit and Tania Mathurin as Mrs Cratchit. Joanna Lee Martin will play Mrs Fezziwig, and opposite her as Fezziwig will be Paul Ryan.
Completing the cast will be Jo Servi as Jacob Marley, Roddy Peters as Nephew Fred, Angela Wynter as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Bethan Mary-James as Belle, Christina Bennington as Marilyn, Iddon Jones as Peter Cratchit, Francesca Zoutewelle as Fredericka and Mark Akinfolarin as Emmeline. Other characters will be played by the ensemble and a company of young local actors.
A Christmas Carol will be directed by Tessa Walker, one of the most exciting directors working in theatre today. Tessa is an associate director at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and prior to this was the Literary Director at Paines Plough and Literary Associate at the National Theatre of Scotland. Her recent directing credits include: The Kitchen Sink (Hull Truck), The Gatekeeper (Royal Exchange) and Blackout by Dennis Kelly (Soho Theatre).
Bryony Lavery’s work includes Frozen (winner of the TMA Best New Play award and nominated for four Tonys) and the acclaimed 2007 adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Her other plays include Last Easter, Stockholm (winner of the 2008 Whiting Award) and Kursk. Composer Jason Carr has written the incidental music for over 30 plays at the National Theatre, RSC, in the West End and on Broadway and has also written the music and lyrics for two new musicals; The Water Babies and Six Pictures of Lee Miller.
Ti Green’s design will bring Victorian London to The REP’s stage, with lighting by Mark Doubleday, sound by Rich Walsh, movement by Anna Morrissey and musical direction by Tim Jackson.
Tickets: £7- £35 (concessions and family tickets available) .Box Office: 0121 236 4455 Book Online: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
