Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Dundee Rep

After no Christmas show last year, Dundee Rep is back with a bang with their production of A Christmas Carol. A cast of 11 actor-musicians bringing a brand new score to life written by Noisemaker- the team behind the very successful Oor Wullie musical.

The perceived simplicity of the set is utterly charming as ordinary stage items are opened and transformed into something a little bit more festive. The performers all introduce themselves as members of the rep and there's an almost panto-esque comedy element as they try to figure out which story to tell with the help of the audience.

It's Christmas Eve and Ebenezer Scrooge (a surprisingly young Ewan Donald) has no festive joy in his heart. He has more money than he could spend in his lifetime yet refuses to help others and expects his employee Bob Cratchit (Charlie West) to work through the holidays. That night, four apparitions appear to Scrooge- his old business partner Jacob Marley; the ghost of Christmas past; the ghost of Christmas present and the ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge gets a glimpse into how the people he knows feel about him and is not pleased with what he sees.

I would normally advise against taking really young children to see A Christmas Carol (I'm 34 years old and am still unnerved by some of the ghosts) but this production portrays the hauntings in a way that is more funny than scary much to the delight of the children in the audience.

As can be expected with Noisemaker, the music is excellent and the sheer talent of the performers is an absolute joy. Having seen A Christmas Carol perhaps a few times too many, I found this a completely fresh and exciting take on the story.

It's also worth mentioning the robust measures that Dundee Rep have put in place regarding COVID-19. Patrons are asked to use hand sanitiser on entry and to wave their wrists in front of a temperature monitor while staff are on hand throughout the auditorium making sure mask compliance is as tight as it can be. The performance is also 90 minutes straight through which minimises interval mingling.

This production of A Christmas Carol is an absolute festive delight with an exceptional cast and songs you'll be humming all the way home.

A Christmas Carol runs at the Dundee Rep until 31 December.

Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

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