Matthew Warchus’ beloved production enters a new era with intimate in-the-round staging and a show-stealing performance from Paul Hilton.
From now until Jan 10 at The Old Vic:
OUR VERDICT
Manuel Harlan
Returning for a record-breaking ninth year, Matthew Warchus’ big-hearted, smash-hit production of A Christmas Carol once again lights up The Old Vic—officially signalling the start of the festive season.
Joyously adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, His Dark Materials), the immersive magic begins before the action itself: lanterns glow in the Old Vic’s beautiful auditorium, a band plays, and members of the cast greet audience members in full Dickensian cheer. It is instantly atmospheric—warm, cosy, and irresistibly nostalgic. Arrive early to soak it all up; you might even be offered a mince pie…
Manuel Harlan
Since the show’s inception in 2017, little has changed, and for many Londoners (myself included) an annual visit has become a cherished tradition. This year, however, the production enters a moment of transformation.
Warchus is in his final season as the theatre’s creative director, and the auditorium has been reconfigured in the round—a shift that has a noticeable impact on the production’s familiar layout. The result is undeniably intimate, though the stage occasionally feels a touch cramped, and a few pivotal moments have lost some of their usual impact with the removal of a large raised gangway that once cut dramatically across the stalls.
Manuel Harlan
Regardless, Rob Howell’s design remains a masterstroke, and any drawbacks introduced by the new configuration are more than offset by Paul Hilton’s remarkable performance.
Best known for The Inheritance, Lady Macbeth and Slow Horses, Hilton delivers the finest Scrooge since Rhys Ifans’ celebrated turn in 2017. His palpable, wonderfully physical portrayal is threaded with quirky modern touches and piercing vulnerability; his gruff bravado is so transparently fragile that you find yourself quietly rooting for him from the outset.
The scenes with his abusive father (a robust Stuart Neal) are especially affecting, and hearts across the auditorium visibly crack when Scrooge, confronted by his younger self (a delightful Connor Wood), whispers, “I do not want him to turn into me.”
Manuel Harlan
Thankfully, joyful relief soon arrives in his glorious realisation scene, which Hilton plays with a moving blend of jubilant energy, touching sincerity and raw emotion.
Alistair Parker and Rob Compton both return to their roles: Parker is the perfect Fezziwig—generous, jovial, instantly likeable—while Compton is a charming Bob Cratchit.
The three pram-pushing ghosts (Annie Wensak, Kibong Tanji and Lauren Jones, who also plays Little Fan), dressed in patchwork pink, are individually enthralling, with Tanji’s sensationally sassy Ghost of Christmas Present proving a particular highlight. Tanisha Spring’s gentle, quietly luminous Belle is another standout, as is Geraint Downing’s delightfully jolly Ferdy/George. And Olive Mac Mahon’s Tiny Tim is inescapably touching.
Manuel Harlan
This is a uniquely moving interpretation of Dickens’ enduring masterpiece—one that deftly sidesteps any saccharine, tinselly clichés. At times it feels genuinely haunting (it is a ghost story, after all), which only heightens the impact of the many moments of warmth, humour and joy.
From bell ringing and merrymaking to sombre, processional movement and meticulous choreography through the newly configured space, the company work with assured cohesion, creating a world that feels utterly immersive.
The music—an evocative blend of traditional carols and expressive bell ringing, exquisitely arranged by Christopher Nightingale—is another triumph. A soaring rendition of See Amid the Winter Snow cutting through the darkness, is especially memorable.
What follows is a festive whirlwind of falling snow, parachuting Brussels sprouts and declarations of love—not only for others, but for life itself. And for Christmas, of course. It is utterly joyful, and completely irresistible.
