A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Bacup Royal Court Theatre Group

Youth Production – BYTES

Directors and Choreography: Regina Arkwright & Janice Purslow

Music supplied by backing tracks

 

Charles Dickens’s much loved A Christmas Carol is given the full treatment for young performers by Mike Carter. This interpretation has a bright score, and the show is complete with all the characters that we meet in the miserable life of Ebenezer Scrooge.  This engaging show was the perfect start to the festive season.

 

This musical adaptation is faithful to Dickens’s story. All the locations and scenes that are in the book are included in the show. Reproducing Dickens’s London is so important for the setting of this show and this was achieved by Bacup RCTG embracing the latest technology of projection. This method allows more creative ideas to be encompassed. A set of images for each of the locations looked amazing. There was snow falling, horses moving down streets, and people walking along the pavements and across the street.. All were very convincing and maybe a few sound effects would have enhanced even further the rich settings. The addition of a scenery truck and set dressings completed the imagery of 1850s London.

 

As the story of Scrooge is a dark tale with spirits and graveyards, the lighting has to create the staged appearance. Nick Daye’s lighting design gave an overview that enhanced and illustrated the shows image.

 

The sound design also was challenging having to give that little bit extra in the nature of creepy scenes and spooky situations to create the right atmosphere. A few extra details again would have reinforced the miser’s life changing fortunes.

 

All the cast were suitable dressed. It must have been difficult finding Dickensian costumes for such young performers.

 

Presenting this show on the large stage of the Royal Court Theatre exposes each performer. The directors/mentors not only had to tease-out believable characterisations,  they also had a considerable number of non-experienced cast members. A high standard was achieved from the principal performers, and those novices now displayed stagecraft. It is hard work for a young company to find the energy to sustain all their characters but this was achieved throughout with these perfomers.  All the singing was well presented and the performers were never fazed by the backing tacks.

 

All their dialogue was delivered with clarity and confidence. This whole production was excellent training for them, the results of  which must have been so rewarding for all involved.

 

The cast included Amy Rostron, as Scrooge, Josh Baldwin and Jessica Harrison, as Mr and Mrs Fezziwig, Sarah Long, as Bob Cratchit, Summer Pilkington, as Tiny Tim, to name but a few. As there is such an array of diverse characters it would be wrong to single out any individual performer. They all achieved so much in their newly found theatrical skills in performance and teamwork. Everyone on stage supported each other, contributing to the character development and storytelling. I look forward to seeing their next production to see the growth of this company of young actors.