Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: John-Paul Birss, Helen Carter, Paul Duckworth, Lindzi Germain, Adam McCoy, Lydia Rosa Morales-Scully, Keddy Sutton, Jhanaica Van Mook, Lenny Wood.
Band: James Breckon, Greg Joy, Chris Nicholls, Mike Woodvine.
Never mind what is waiting to be revealed of the windows of the advent calendar of many a Liverpool home this year, for cheer and festive fun are on full display behind the doors of the Royal Court Theatre this yuletide, and as the blessings of a well stuffed Tiny Tim are heard above the humbug of Ebenezeer Scrooge as he bemoans a lost love and exemplifies a desire for more money in which to place into the fires to keep his cold heart warm, so the alternative triumph of Kevin Fearon’s writing and the generosity of Mark Chatterton’s keen eye for direction and wonderfully irreverent humour is to be adored in The Scouse Christmas Carol.
The match made in Christmas comedy is gold, and as the sublime cast, including the ever faithful Helen Carter, Lindzi Germain, Keddy Sutton, Lenny Wood, and the man bringing the good of Ebenezeer to the light, Paul Duckworth, so the season of cheer begins in earnest and excellent discourteous joy is pulled like an expensive cracker, full of bang and with more than just a novelty inside.
There is more to Scrooge’s avarice than meets the eye, and as the feast of gags and cheeky songs fill the auditorium, as the stage revolves in fortune and sassy comebacks, so the true love of a hardened heart is revealed; and it with deep affection for the cast that this works so well as the satire of Charles Dickens’ most revered reformed character is seen as nothing short of fantastic.
Much must be said though of the unsung heroes to the show, including Jhanaica Van Mook as Clara, the amazingly tight band that captured the tone of the piece with precision, and the skilled behind the scenes workers who brought Victorian London to life with a beautiful set that captured the imagination.
The Scouse Christmas Carol sets a high bar for others to follow and being Liverpool’s theatre companies drive each other to search for perfection; it could be that the city’s theatre going public will be treated to one hell of a season array of sparking gifts. A treat to savour, this is no silent night, but one of all time high interest into which all will be indebted to the Christmas present on show.
Ian D. Hall