Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, The Vaults

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of the most well-known and best-loved stories of the season. Over the years, a number of radio adaptations of it have been broadcast; always faithful to the story and always professional.

Owen Lewis now directs a new version of the classic tale at The Vaults, with a 1940s vintage twist.

The Fitzrovia Radio Hour has returned for the 18th year to broadcast their famous version of the story. Creator of the show and iconic Scrooge of the previous 17 years, Stanley De Pfeffel, has succumbed to a hideous accident on the stage of the Old Vic and so fellow actor Ernest Andrew, who has played Tiny Tim for the same length of time, gallantly steps in to fill the void.

As the production goes on, it becomes clear that Ernest's motives are less than pure, as it emerges that he himself was responsible for Stanley's terrible mishap so that he could play the lead role he has craved for so many years.

Throughout the reading, there are many humorous asides, such as progressive flirting between various members of the cast and shameless promotion of Rathbone's Gin. This may well be influenced by the 1939 radio adaptation performed by Orson Welles and sponsored by Campbell's Soup.

Samuel Collings is great as the needy Ernest, pale and desperate to fulfil his ambition to play Scrooge. He relishes his newfound role a little too, well, earnestly, puffed up with an overinflated opinion of his own self -importance. On handing the role of Tiny Tim over to fellow actor Beau Belles, he magnanimously says "There are no Tiny Tims, only tiny actors".

William Findley's debonair Beau Belles raises the most laughs, particularly from his interpretation of the role of Charity Collector who is supposed to have a Welsh accent, but comes across more as Cardiff via Delhi.

Alix Dunmore and Dorothea Myer-Bennett provide able support as flirty Vanity Fair and world-weary Gretchen Haggard. The variety of voices and range of sound effects they provide is quite astounding.

The audience is asked to act as though observing a real radio play, laughing and applauding on cue. Throughout the reading of the play, the cast proficiently provides all the sound effects using props such as a cabbage shoved onto a boxing glove to echo a head falling onto a pillow and Rice Krispies popping to imitate chestnuts roasting on a fire. It is comical, innovative and very clever.

James Nicholson's sound design is excellent. It would be easy to sit through the show with your eyes closed and experience an authentic, if slightly madcap, radio version of the story, such is the strength of the sound effects employed.

The 1940s theme is nicely matched by clipped accents and vintage clothing and the suggestive comedy values of the names Fanny and Dick are exploited to the maximum, albeit in a slightly obvious manner.

This is an amusing and frivolous take on the festive classic that is both witty and fun. If you are not a fan of panto, this is a light-hearted and very watchable alternative.

A Christmas Carol is at The Vaults until 31 December

Photo Credit: Geraint Lewis

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