Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Dundee Rep
Neil Cooper
Five stars
One could be forgiven for thinking the mountain of flight cases piled in the centre of an otherwise empty stage is for an impending rock concert. Especially as Dundee Rep’s troupe of actors are milling about the auditorium in standard issue front of house apparel before this new musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ festive classic by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie, aka Noisemaker.
Don’t be fooled, however, because while the cast eventually get to the story of Scrooge’s wake up call from miserdom after they channel a dressing up box of story books past, best keep an eye on those flight cases. As designer Emily James’ ingenious construction morphs into everything from a flying bed to a grave to something a lot more seasonal, the tower becomes integral to the show’s action.
The monumentally arranged pile is pretty much the only thing that stands still in Andrew Panton’s non-stop burl of a production, first seen in 2022. As Ewan Donald’s Scrooge faces up to his assorted hauntings, a non-stop cabaret of set pieces ensues. Ann Louise Ross’ Jacob Marley is a chain wielding comic turn, Laura Lovemore’s Ghost of Christmas Past a power ballad wielding diva emoting through the mist, the Fezziwigs a Fran and Anna style double act, and Irene Macdougall’s Ghost of Christmas Present a plum guzzling earth mother.
Even Isaac Savage’s young Scrooge, it seems, was a piano protege before money won over love. As for adult Scrooge, Ewan Donald brings depths to his arch villain’s weasily malevolence, even as he spits out some very familiar sounding platitudes about how to get rid of a ‘surplus population’.
Gilmour and McKenzie’s songs move from an east European junkyard and stadium sized bombast to something more folksy and embracing. Top of the bill here, however, is Kirsty Findlay’s Emily Cratchitt, who transforms her poverty stricken lot into show stealing soulful sparkle.
As the production revels in its own artifice, it leaves space enough for a couple of cheeky surprises that add to the wonder of a glorious show.
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