A Christmas Carol is a story we all ‘know’ even if we haven’t actually ever finished – or even started – reading the book. This festive season, Leeds Playhouse hosts this fabulous adaptation by Deborah McAndrew, directed by Amy Leach, with set and costume design by Hayley Grindle.
From the moment the audience enters the theatre, Grindle’s set design impresses. And it goes on to impress even further as chimneys rise up, echoing 19th century woollen mills. She has drawn her inspiration from old sketches and paintings, and from the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. The whole is rooted firmly in the industrial north of Victorian England, and, more specifically, Yorkshire.
Grindle’s set design is more than matched in her wonderful costume design. In fact, they are two parts of a whole.
Many of the ensemble are musician/actors and play live on stage as Christmas carols intertwine with John Biddle’s score. It’s a wonderful touch. The choreography by Emily Jane Boyle is energetic and engaging, really capturing the bustle of the mill and, indeed, the joy of Christmas. It is not a musical, but a play with music at its heart.
The performance I saw was listed as BSL interpreted and the costumed interpreter (Sarah Cox) was there, as expected, stage right as part of the ensemble. But many of the cast in this production are themselves Deaf or hearing impaired, so the act of signing became very much one with the performance.
Scrooge in his lair
The actors bring the hurly burly of a working mill to life, with young Tim hiding among the whirling pieces of set. On the evening of our visit, Tiny Tim was played by Lucas Kerr, making his stage debut. (The role is shared with Thalia Coultas and Alexa Raja.)
The audience meets Scrooge (Reece Dinsdale) in his office complaining at Bob Cratchit (Stephen Collins) wanting to leave work on time, and of giving the whole mill the next day off as a holiday. Collins is wonderful as Bob Cratchit, creeping and uncertain in the face of Scrooge’s fierce demeanour; loving and expansive among his family.
Dinsdale’s performance as Scrooge is incredible throughout, combining the misery and rage of a man lost in his own world, with the ghastly uncertainty of the past and future he is asked to confront. It’s a masterpiece from a master.
The first spirit who Scrooge encounters is his old colleague and partner Jacob Marley (Obioma Ugoala), whose spectre, dreadlocked and hung with chains, is towering and effective. Marley haunts the spirit world unable to rest because of the wrongs he did in his life.
Shades of things that have been
The Ghost of Christmas Past (Bea Glancy) returns Scrooge to his unhappy school days, when he was left at school over the Christmas holidays, until the year of his rescue by his sister Fan (Nadia Nadarajah).
He watches images unfold of his apprenticeship with the lovable and irrepressible Fezziwig (Obioma Ugoala), his romance with Belle (Amy Forrest) and her eventual rejection of the young Scrooge due to his love for money. Fezziwig is powerful in costume and in speech, but a kind and generous employer. We all know that Scrooge did not follow his example.
Christmas present
As the Ghost of Christmas Present, Claudia Kariuki leaves one spellbound with her glorious costume and vibrant persona. She shows Scrooge exactly what he is missing.
His nephew, Fred (Danny Colligan) – Fan’s son – hosts a joyful and entertaining party, an invitation to which Scrooge had rudely declined. Scrooge watches on as Fred and his guests make merry without him – including his old friend Dick Wilkins (Paul Brown).
And at the Cratchit’s humble home there is joy at the simple things they can have – sage on their potatoes, and punch. Not all of Mrs Cratchit’s (Nadia Nadarajah) speech is ‘retold’ to the audience by Scrooge – it is expected that we make some effort – and I think there are a couple of jokes hidden there.
Ghost of times yet to come
The spirit leads Scrooge into the near future, to the graveyard, presided over by a spirit/angel that makes full use of the magnificent space available at the Playhouse. The puppetry is subtle, haunting, amazing.
As Scrooge moves among the tombs of his past acquaintance, he comes, of course, on the gravestone of Tiny Tim, and his own resting place. Although he fears that, like Marley before him, he will have no rest.
It’s an absolute tear-jerker of an ending. When I told Reece Dinsdale it made me cry, he said “Well that’s what it all about, connection”.
I hope I won’t spoil the show for any reader when I say that the ensemble rendition of Christina Rosetti’s haunting Christmas hymn What Can I Give Him? really was the perfect ending.
And as an aside, I’ve promised the young actors Lucas Kerr and Alexa Raja that I will keep their autographs safe until they are famous. And now that promise is written down.
Accessibility
I attended the Press screening performance which was, as noted above, BSL interpreted. General notes on accessibility can be found on the website, but this production really goes the extra mile in terms of outreach. These details are from the original press release.
As part of the Playhouse’s ongoing commitment to creative access, all performances from Thursday 27 November will feature Creative Audio Description, available via headsets which can be collected from the Box Office.
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted: Friday 12 December 7pm; Thursday 18 December 1.30pm; Saturday 27 December 7pm; Sunday 21 December 12.30pm Wednesday 7 Jan 5pm; Thursday 15 Jan 1.30pm.
Audio described and Touch Tour: All performances from Thursday 27 November – Saturday 17 January.
Captioned: Friday 12 December 7pm; Saturday 13 December 1:30pm; Thursday 18 December 1:30pm; Thursday 15 January 1:30pm.
Relaxed Performance: Wednesday 7 January 11am.
Dementia Friendly: Tuesday 13 January 12.30pm.
This production of A Christmas Carol runs at Leeds Playhouse until 17 January 2026.
Box office: 0113 213 7700
info@leedsplayhouse.org.uk
