CRATCHIT Will Be Performed at the Park Theatre Next Month

Olivier Award-winner John Dagleish stars as Bob Cratchit in an astute rewriting of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, having previously played the character in Jack Thorne's adaption of the show at the Old Vic in 2017. Alexander Knott's Cratchit reimagines the well-loved tale of Ebenezer Scrooge from the perspective of Bob Cratchit. As a hard frost descends on London Town, Bob Cratchit gets his own visit from the spirits of Christmastime. Catapulted forward through the years, the poorly paid clerk is shown a bleak vision of the future world: inequality and strife perpetuate, while the gap between the 1% and everyone else grows wider. Cratchit is a darker look at the Dickens' tale of redemption, a call to arms against injustice and rallying cry for solidarity and fortitude.

Cratchit premiered online under the title December at the Old Red Lion in winter 2020. It was streamed to audiences at home during lockdown to critical acclaim. The play captured the troubled image of the future world shown to Bob Cratchit and fleshed out Dickens' famously upbeat character, showing him to be a stoic but flawed man soldiering on against the odds. It has now been reworked in preparation for its live premiere at Park Theatre this Christmas.

The lead role of Bob Cratchit is performed by John Dagleish. The actor won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Sunny Afternoon at the Hampstead Theatre and Harold Pinter Theatre. His other credits include Sylvia and A Christmas Carol (as Bob Cratchit) at The Old Vic, and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Young Vic. He is joined by Freya Sharp as Martha Cratchit. Freya's previous work includes; The Bandaged Woman and Nuclear War at the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington.

Writer and Director Alexander Knott said "I could not be more excited to begin work on this festive retelling, alongside such a stellar team. Now more than ever, at the coldest time of year, it is vital to find the balance between the difficulties and hardship of winter that so many face, and the hope and promise that Christmas brings. John and Freya are superb, versatile performers and we are all looking forward to bringing this haunting, modern and ultimately uplifting winter's ghost story to Park Theatre."

MZG Theatre Productions recent credits include: The Show Must Go On! Live (Palace Theatre), Terrence Rattigan's All On Her Own (stream.theatre), Private Peaceful (Bristol Old Vic & Barn Theatre), the Tonight At The London Coliseum concert series, The View UpStairs (Soho Theatre) and the Offie Award-winning revival of Kander & Ebb's The Rink (Southwark Playhouse).

Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman are two-time Tony Award-winning producers who have presented over 60 new plays, musicals and classic revivals, particularly for Broadway and the West End, plus many private and corporate events, since forming their producing partnership. Their recent Broadway productions include Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus, Be More Chill, King Kong and American Son, while they are represented in London by Magic Mike Live and in Las Vegas by Criss Angel Mindfreak.

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In eight years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, five Olivier Award nominations, has won Offie Awards for Best New Play and Best Foodie Experience and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.

Performances run 7 December - 8 January 2022.

Bookings: www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876

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