Here is Northern Ballet Theatre’s Christmas present to its loyal fans. Any who have not yet seen A Christmas Carol will be bowled over, as indeed will people who have seen productions in previous years. It really is that good and, as far as dance technique is concerned, it is appreciably better.
There are so many memorable images and cameos. Bob Cratchit’s joyous leaping with that long scarf dangling from his neck, the frolics at the Fezziwigs’ party, the gentle pas de deux of Young Scrooge and his lost love Belle.
Yes a constant visual delight with each scene lit, detailed and coloured like a painting, rather than a Christmas card. Then there are the ancient, blissfully nostalgic Christmas themes, arranged by Carl Davis. The eagerness throughout the corps de ballet as they prepare for the folk dances is infectious.
Sebastian Loe is a skilfully evocative Scrooge. His reactions to the Spirits are appropriately dramatic, without being melodramatic, and they are hugely enjoyable. Hironao Takahashi plays Scrooge’s younger self with melancholic grace.
The closing hugs from Scrooge, as he goes to each of the leading characters, show sentiment at its heartiest and of course one man’s heartening redemption.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Content is copyright © 2012 The Stage Media Company Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)
