A Christmas Carol Review: a Christmas miracle that brings a tear to the eye

Photography Credit: Johan Persson

04 December 2025 I 19:00 I Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite

It's the most wonderful time of the year, as audiences don their winter coats and escape the cold with a hearty retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, of which there is an abundance across the UK. So what makes this revival so enchanting? Localised by adaptor Aisha Khan, this production is defined by its use of the Sheffield Carols, a centuries-old repertoire of carols sung in pubs each year. Carrying this tradition into a firm favourite, Elin Schofield's direction (assoc. Alex Pritchett) cherishes the beauty in coming together.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean-spirited old man, unkind to his neighbours and family as he isolates himself. One fateful Christmas Eve, three ghostly visitors show Scrooge the impact of his cruelty, and his fate should he refuse to change. Encouraged to be generous and kind, does he have time to restore the festive spirit of Christmas?

Photography Credit: Johan Persson

Devised with great originality, the cast perform an a capella staging of the play, abandoning instruments and sound effects. An experiment with endless textures and paces, we hear jovial transitions, howling winds, the buzz of flickering lights, delicate underscores and more. The vocal soundscaping is divine. With a story that focuses heavily on humanity, utilising the body as its own instrument is ingenious. Supported by Aline David's choreography, a thigh-slapping and stomping percussion feels grounded and earthy.

Ian Midlane strays from the conventional Scrooge, with only one Bah' Humbug! in sight. His first introduction isn't imbued with mindless anger, but rather a stoicism. He acts with an emotional resentment towards Christmas whose bitterness is internal, his frustration primarily directed inwards. This echoes Ryan O'Donnell's Young Ebenezer, stripping infamous caricatures to discover a lonely, vulnerable man.

Photography Credit: Johan Persson

I've been known love an onstage ghost, with tonight's conjured marvellously. Marley's spirit is a highlight, as stage magic allows Anthony Ofoegbu to phase through a door. Characterised by a distressed suit, chains and sickly make-up design (Campbell Young Associates), his tormented image is striking. Adam Price's flamboyant Ghost of Christmas Present charms audience's hearts, welcomed with post-interval cheer. Nitai Levi's Past is confidently assertive and an unnamed Future (à la The Woman In Black) sends shivers down the spine.

Co-designed by Rose Revitt & Kevin Jenkins, the set stands as a monumental wooden collage of Scrooge's memories, with fragmented offices and the Cratchit home underneath. There is a lot to visually take in, where Richard Howell's lighting is successful in guiding our attention. Venturing into a kindlier past, the stage is illuminated with warm tones, a cold spotlight surrounding Scrooge to distance him as an observer. Briefly plunged into darkness in Act One and actors venturing into the audience, the auditorium is very much alive!

With Mel Lowe's Jack providing brief moments of narration to enhance the story, an a capella vision (with arrangements by Matthew Malone) relies on its magnificent ensemble, thriving in a musically pitch-perfect show. Performers and creatives alike, everyone is at the top of their game in a spellbinding adaptation.

A Christmas miracle that brings a tear to the eye, or several in my case! I love a visit to the Crucible Theatre, but I have never seen the audience rush to a standing ovation quite so fast before. Consider yourself very lucky if you have a ticket booked, and prepare for a magical experience!!

Show Information & Tickets: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/a-christmas-carol-2025