‘A Christmas Carol: The Musical’ Review: The Lowry’s Dickensian Tale Has Dance Numbers and A Female Scrooge? Yes it works.

★★★★ | “Christmas, a humbug?” With freezing temperatures sweeping Manchester this December, it has become easy to tuck ourselves away like Ebenezer Scrooge would, sneering at any chance to make merry. That cold weather scepticism had begun to rattle me, and thusly as I scuttled into the Lowry Theatre to watch A Christmas Carol: The Musical, one question lingered on my chapped lips: does this really need to be a musical?

After 90 minutes of family-friendly cheer, I concluded that whilst Charles Dickens’ lasting tale does not need to be sung in carols, this cast’s faultless performance of Alan Menken’s ingenious music presents a worthy evening of joy, even so.

Best known for composing iconic Disney soundtracks, Menken plunges us into Christmas time in Victorian London right from this musical’s opening note. It is here where we meet the hostile, stingy Scrooge, as well as the virtuous but poor Cratchits. Following Dickens’ original story, the ghost of Scrooge’s deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, visits Scrooge and warns that if she does not change her cruel ways in life, a fate of eternal misery awaits her beyond the grave. Soon after, three Christmas ghosts – Past, Present and Future – visit Scrooge and take her on an emotional journey to teach her the error of her ways, as well as the true, benevolent meaning of Christmas.

 The company of A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

While this retelling is mostly traditional, directors Joseph Houston and William Whelton have adapted the famous role of Ebenezer Scrooge into Evelina Scrooge, played by West End star Claire Moore (The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon). Inspired by accounts of real Victorian business women, Houston and Whelton implement a new backstory for the old miser to ensure that the gender change blends seamlessly into Dickens’ narrative. In this adaptation, we learn that Scrooge’s father was imprisoned, leaving her mother in severe debt and thus motivating Scrooge’s lifelong commitment to “make my fortune and keep it”. Moore’s performance as the close-fisted money lender impresses with masterful comic timing and beautifully versatile vocals.

Mari McGinlay’s kooky portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Past is electric. In addition to vocal acrobatics, McGinlay’s eerily hyper laughter and iridescent costume is reminiscent of Carole Kane’s memorable portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Present in the 1988 film Scrooged – bringing a humorously unhinged twist to this staged retelling.

The directors’ decision to make the Ghost of Christmas Present a pantomime Dame is another injection of whimsy into this production, and James Hume plays this instructive character with wit. Rather than being chastised, Moore’s Scrooge is teased by the panto ghost until she is simply too embarrassed to keep defending her stingy ways.

Claire Moore (as Scrooge) leads the company of A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

The small but adaptive company are in many ways the focal point of the show, making full use of Menken’s abundant ensemble numbers. The decision to turn Scrooge’s old, generous boss Mr Fezziwig, and his wife, into comic figures reminiscent of Les Misérables’ Thenadiers proved to be a true crowd pleaser; the elaborate dance sequence that ensued resulted in one of the biggest cheers of the night.

Despite the fun these characters bring to the show, it is within this middle section that the shortcomings of telling Dickens’ tale in musical form becomes apparent. The narrative’s pace takes the biggest hit; I found myself growing slightly impatient as minor plot points became five-minute musical numbers, stretching out Dickens’ most notable quotes to the point of tiresome repetition.

Furthermore, for all the festivity, sequences began to teeter on spectacle over substance. While the company’s vocals and George Lyons’ choreography created an incredible atmosphere, I found myself yearning to see more of Scrooge’s character development, as her stubborn reluctance transformed into enlightened tenderness. By presenting the ghosts’ lessons with such visual extravaganza, the subtlety of Moore’s characterisation of Scrooge gets side-lined. It seems like a missed opportunity given the nuance of her performance in the opening section of the show, in which Scrooge’s unacknowledged loneliness pokes through her harsh demeanour.

The company of A Christmas Carol: The Musical. Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

Andrew Exeter’s elaborate set, however, is one of the most striking elements of this production. Beautifully adorned with countless pages of writing, the backdrop of Evelina Scrooge’s London pays homage to the importance of Dickens’ original novel. Dickens had been a firm advocate for helping those living in poverty and reforming the inhumane Victorian workhouses, writing A Christmas Carol to spread his philanthropic cause.

At its core, the Hope Mill Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol: The Musical is a hearty spectacle and a joyous show for the festive period, led by a vastly talented ensemble. Designed for families and friends, it is guaranteed to brighten your spirits on a cold, grey Mancunian day.

★★★★

A Christmas Carol: The Musical plays at the Lowry Theatre in Salford, Manchester, until January 5th, 2025.