A CHRISTMAS CAROL - Leeds Playhouse (27/11/25)

Confused, stagnant re-staging of Dickens classic tale misses the mark

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We have tentatively crossed the threshold into the hotly anticipated festive season, so naturally our focus turns to the plethora of holiday themed productions that descend on us like the trio of Christmas spirits with which one Ebeneezer Scrooge comes into contact, and I’m not talking about your the standard glass of mulled wine, brandy or eggnog.

Such is the popularity of arguably Charles Dickens’ most beloved work, that even those who have never read a single word of his canon will be able to recite the story of “A Christmas Carol” with little trouble or rehearsal, not least because it has been adapted so many times on stage and screen, with everything from a full musical to the ever revered film featuring Michael Caine and the Muppets. With interpretation in any form, though, must also come narrative clarity and a cohesive artistic vision that serves the text well, which is unfortunately where our problems begin to mount up.

One element of Leeds Playhouse productions that must always be applauded is their commitment to diversity and inclusivity, especially when it comes to integrating deaf, disabled and neurodivergent performers into the mix, and this festive piece is no exception. Stephen Collins and Nadia Nadarajah, taking on the roles of Bob Cratchit and his wife respectively, are each clearly very talented actors, and bring wonderful amounts of personality to their roles. Sadly due to Amy Leach’s uneven and, at times, lazy direction, it often feels like they’re not being allowed to flourish in the way they undoubtedly can, due to insufficient interpretation and directorial stagnancy. And it does pain me to say that these misgivings are not just limited to how the Cratchits are able to express themselves.

Claudia Kariuki and Reece Dinsdale (credit: Helen Murray)

The Playhouse has had no shortage of productions with the city at their very heart, an undoubted hub of creativity for local talent, however the reinterpretation that Leach and principal adaptor Deborah McAndrew have devised had me feeling rather baffled, largely due to the Leeds-centric reframing of Dickens’ original text. Originally set in Victorian London, the pair have made the rather puzzling decision to relocate the story to Leeds, our only indicator of this is by means of the use of natural accents by many of the cast, and we are left with a sense of geographical ambiguity until midway through the second act.

Overall performances are solid yet unspectacular, a major highlight though is Jacob Marley and his presentation; Obioma Ugoala brings the perfect balance between his expression of the man Marley was in life, and the spectre of death he conveys in the moment, with Hayley Grindle's costume design, complete with rags and chains, masterfully bringing to life this eerie spirit. The man he is haunting however, one cannot say is as convincing, as Scrooge is presented more like a grumpy old man down your local Toby Carvery, rather than the trademark picture of pomposity to which we have become accustomed.

As much as Reece Dinsdale fills that stage, one must remember that Scrooge himself is often considered an allegory for the heartless nature of Victorian industrialism, dripping with condescension and elitism, this more perceptively working class portrayal of the character feels far too grounded, especially in the earlier parts of the story. To top this off, in a lot of the character's more atmospheric, serious or eerie moments, it feels like too often these are punctured unnecessarily by humour, diminishing the emotional impact of Scrooge's character arc, and the journey we take with him.

Reece Dinsdale and the company of "A Christmas Carol" (credit: Helen Murray)

The incorporation of musical numbers does little to quell the feeling of perplexity: what do the songs add? Is this a play or a musical? It never really feels like either question gets a definitive answer, as these moments of song and dance are rather spread out, often feel out of place, and tend to come out of the blue. Actor-musician casting can be a marvellous way of expressing an original and immersive interpretation, but their use in this production feels half-hearted and, for the most part, unnecessary.

I am all for a fresh creative take on a classic story, we've seen how well some more recent iterations of Shakespearean tales have been received, such as the Donmar Warehouse production of "MacBeth". In this instance though, the vision McAndrew and Leach have for this staging proves to be one that doesn't fully translate, as it seems to maintain too much focus on pandering to local audiences, and with this comes a diminished sense of the original story. There's no doubt it has heart, as well as festive cheer in spades, but alas we too often lose the deeper thematic material that is so central to this almost 200 year old story.

★★☆☆☆ (2*)

"A Christmas Carol" runs at Leeds Playhouse until the 17th of January (tickets)

{PR/Gifted tickets}