The Stage

A Christmas Carol

Published Tuesday 7 December 2010 at 10:42 by Ben East

Every time A Christmas Carol is performed in Manchester, it has added significance - this was the very city in which Charles Dickens conceived his famous novella in 1843. David Holman’s fine adaptation retains much of the social commentary that concerned Dickens when he saw at first hand the squalor of the Industrial Revolution, but it is the inventive staging which deserves much of the praise.

Claude Close (Jacob Marley) in A Christmas Carol at The Lowry, Salford Photo: Gerry Murray

The Library Theatre Company’s seasonal offerings have always been of a good standard, but the recent move to the Lowry has upped its game significantly. The gothic set is hugely impressive, the lighting lending a spooky, discomfiting atmosphere amplified by the best aspect of this production - its sound. The sense that all is not well is apparent right from the very start, when the cast sings a mournful version of The Coventry Carol.

David Beames plays Scrooge with the tremulous fear of someone watching his whole life being deconstructed in front of him, though this is really an ensemble piece and the quality is high throughout. Lisa Kerr in particular plays her three characters (Belle, Martha and Florence) with true feeling.

Perhaps there could have been more explanation of why Scrooge turns from handsome young dreamer to cantankerous miser, but it is a captivating show for all ages. And in trusting the timeless story rather than dumbing it down for today’s kids, The Library Theatre Company proves that Dickens is as relevant and enchanting as ever.