Spirited performance from the cast of Dickens’ festive classic

Charles Dickens will be birling in his accommodation at Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey – but it will be accompanied with shouts of delight at Isobel Mcarthur’s terrific adaptation of A Christmas Carol at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

Aficionados of the master’s tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption may have their doubts, but this production under the direction of Ben Occhipinti still retains overtones of the grime and destitution of Victorian London, while also coming bang up to date with some guitar-wielding carol singers and bags of Christmas goodies from the Co-op.

It is an explosive start as a sevenstrong band of carolers enter through the auditorium regaling all to Deck The Halls, accompanying themselves with lots of brass, woodwind, strings and drums.

It is their task as narrators to take us through the well-loved story as Scrooge is transformed from loan shark to philanthropist, via a few ghostly journeys in the past, present and future.

Street lamps dominate Anna Orton’s set as the scenes move seamlessly as the story unfolds.

This is quality stuff from the cast – these actors are also musicians, singers and scene shifters with 10 musical numbers and four ghosts thrown in for good measure.

Perth’s own Colin Mccredie, best known as Fraser in Taggart, makes his debut at Pitlochry as Scrooge, with a mixture of old and new faces in the ensemble.

Felicity Sparks bursts on to the scene as the Ghost of Christmas Present, with an animated performance that brings the house down. And look out for a memorable rendition of In The Bleak Midwinter by Richard Colvin, staying on after a successful summer season.

Also returning are Emilie Patry and Ali Watt as the Cratchits, with newcomers Samuel Pashby, Rachael Mcallister and Florence Odumosu playing a plethora of parts.

One of the carols is Joy To The World – how appropriate.

A Christmas Carol continues at Pitlochry every Wednesday to Sunday, finishing with a matinee on Monday December 23.