A Christmas Carol is a book that has never been out of print. Based on what I’ve seen on stage, the written form clearly isn’t the only way for this tale to be expressed. Written by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol has been created for the stage by Shake & Stir Theatre Co and cleverly adapted by Nelle Lee to be presented to audiences at the Playhouse Theatre, QPAC from the 29th to 15th of December 2019. As the year winds down in time for Christmas, I was glad I had a chance to watch a classic Christmas tale adapted for the stage.
This Shake & Stir Theatre Co production was directed by Michael Futcher and starred Eugene Gilfedder as ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’, Bryan Roberts as ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’, ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ and ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ as well as ‘Jacob Marley’, Lucas Stibbard as ‘Bob Cratchit’, Ross Balbuziente as ‘Peter Cratchit’, Nick Skubij as Scrooge’s Nephew ‘Fred’ and Arnijka Larcombe-Weate as Scrooge’s past love (‘Belle’) and as Scrooge’s Nephew’s wife. Composer Salliana Campbell was the on-set musician and provided intricate melodies to accompany the performance. Campbell was positioned high above the actors, and lit in a subtle light, making for her musical accompaniment to have what seemed like an omniscient role to the story.
This performance was an absolute treat, and with a range of talented cast and production team members involved, it’s safe to say that this is one of my favourite Christmas-themed performances of 2019. There are plenty of aspects that make A Christmas Carol a hit, but a strong selection of cast members always assists in translating the heart of a story to the audience members. Eugene Gilfedder’s ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’ is an elderly, and rather cranky character that doesn’t see the light of day until three ghosts teach him some rather valuable lessons. I enjoyed the way Gilfedder portrayed ‘Scrooge’ in a traditional sense but also allowed for a little vulnerability, particularly when the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ would curate fond memories for ‘Scrooge’.
Other notable mentions included the way Lucas Stibbard portrayed family man ‘Bob Cratchit’ on stage, who dutifully works for ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’ in the accounting firm. Whilst Stibbard comes home to a loving family and immerses himself in the Christmas spirit, and a myriad of festive traditions, his Employer ‘Scrooge’ chooses instead to show no sympathy for the hardship of others and the stresses they endure in paying bills on time, especially this time of the year. As each of the Ghosts (Past, Present and Future), played by Bryan Roberts, start to make appearances in Scrooge’s life, it shakes him to his very core, and he slowly starts to recognise the suffering experienced by others.
It all starts with the appearance of ‘Jacob Marley’ (Roberts) when ‘Scrooge’ is attempting to go to sleep the night before Christmas. Now a special mention must be said for Video Designer Craig Wilkinson, due to the way imagery of ‘Jacob Marley’ was projected not only within a picture frame in Scrooge’s bedroom, but also as a hologram. This was a very impressive aspect to the show, and I really enjoyed the way that each of the Ghosts were represented, adding another layer of visibility on stage through this digital technology. It isn’t always easy to make a Ghost feel like a ‘Ghost’ but Wilkinson has definitely succeeded in this. With the combined efforts of Roberts performance, the lighting design by Jason Glenwright and stage design by Josh McIntosh, it all made for a fantastic visual display.
A Christmas Carol starts with the acknowledgement of the passing of ‘Jacob Marley’. Marley, who was a business partner of ‘Scrooge’, is the same Ghost that warns ‘Scrooge’ of the three ghosts yet to come. Each of the Ghosts represent a different point in time, and the first Ghost that Roberts plays is effeminate and cheerful but also rather keen to present to ‘Scrooge’ a few memories that he has forgotten over the years. The ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ is a delightful ‘present’ to the audience. This particular Ghost, played again by the talented Bryan Roberts, is upbeat, and this time a little more cheeky. ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ shows ‘Scrooge’ the current hardships his employee ‘Bob’ faces and the difficulty he has in managing an unwell son affectionately named ‘Tiny Tim’. The 'Ghost of Christmas Present' was entertaining to watch as he would sprinkle 'Christmas Spirit' on top of the heads of commoners, and resolve potential conflicts in an instance.
‘Scrooge’ is presented many past memories, and present realities through a god-like perspective, and he not so surprisingly starts to feel some empathy for mankind. That is not to say that ‘Scrooge’ has really learnt his lesson, and when he retreats to old habits, a third and final ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ comes to his door. This is the point where ‘Scrooge’ must learn now or never to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas. I will also add that this final Spirit of Christmas is particularly spooky, and resembles the form of a Grim Reaper! It's safe to say that A Christmas Carol, whether in print form or cleverly adapted for stage as done by Shake & Stir Theatre Co, will always be a timely tale.
Whether it be the fancy holograms, helping the realism of the presence of a Ghost, or a beautiful moving set that within seconds can show the exterior or interior of a building, A Christmas Carol is well worth a watch. Well done to Director Michael Futcher for putting a great show together, and also to the Artistic Directors of Shake & Stir Theatre Co: Ross Balbuziente, Nelle Lee & Nick Skubij, who not only contribute to the production with behind the scenes roles but also feature within the show themselves!
Fantastic work to all the production members involved and the spooky sound design by Guy Webster, making for an atmospheric soundscape. Special mention to Head of Props Maddison Pengils for the elaborate creation of Scrooge's typewriter that takes the form of the character 'Tiny Tim' - this was a very unique way to utilise the prop. Well done to the on-stage musicians, the cast members and the technical production team behind this show, this was actually one of my favourite performances of the year! I can’t wait to see what is around the corner for Shake & Stir Theatre Co and QPAC, as we wind down into the festive Christmas season. Don’t risk missing out on seeing A Christmas Carol on the stage like you have never seen it before!
29 November - 15 December 2019
QPAC, Playhouse Theatre
Image Credit: Stephen Henry
Review: Joanna Letic