Programme (1)
Programme (2)
ACT I
Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy but miserly man, attends the funeral of his partner and only friend, Jacob Marley. Scrooge is left alone, looking to an uncertain and lonely future. Some years later, it is Christmas Eve and Bob Cratchit joins the throng of christmas shoppers and carol singers outside Ebenezer Scrooge's counting house. Scrooge arrives, ungraciously pushing his way through the throng, and forces Cratchit inside and hard to work. Scrooge's nephew Fred arrives with his new wife to wish his uncle the joys of the season but is quickly sent away.
The day ends, Scrooge reluctantly releases Cratchit to go home and celebrate the season with his family. Scrooge goes home alone, eating a lonely supper when he is disturbed by the spectre of his former partner, Marley, come to impart a terrible warning that Scrooge will share his fate if he does not mend his ways.
ACT II
As Scrooge prepares for bed, the bedroom window opens and a ghostly apparition enters, the Ghost of Christmas Past. The Ghost transports Scrooge back to a christmas many years ago, and a party at the counting house of Mr Fezziwig, his first employer. It was here that Scrooge first give himself up to the love of mammon, and causing his fiancee Belle return his ring seeing that he had a greater love than her. Scrooge can take no more. The Ghost of Christmas Past fades away and the Ghost of Christmas Present then arrives. This ghost leads Scrooge to the Cratchit house, where in spite of their poverty the family are content. Scrooge is moved by the ailing Tiny Tim singing a Christmas song. The family move off, and suddenly Scrooge is alone again.
ACT III
The skeletal ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives and leads Scrooge back to the Cratchit house. The happiness has gone as the family are mourning the loss of Tiny Tim. Then Scrooge is transported back to his own bedroom, where three old hags are ransacking his possessions as his lifeless body lies on the bed. Finally, he is confronted by a tombstone and throws himself upon it, trying to cover the name inscribed upon it, his own. Then suddenly it is morning, Scrooge awakens in his bed with light streaming in throught the window. He is overjoyed to be alive, with a chance to start afresh. Rushing outside, he gathers the passers-by, enlisting their aid and giving them money to gather food for a feast at his counting house to which they are all invited. The Cratchit family arrive, Scrooge pretends to move angrily toward him in his usual manner, but they warmly shakes his hand and invites the whole family as guests of honour to his party. Scrooge's journey is complete.
This is a busy, frollicking, romp of a ballet that leans heavily toward theatre rather than pure dance. A fun-filled family peice, it has pathos, romance and humour aplenty. The set is evocative of a victorian street scene, perhaps at a wharf with dirty grey brick warehouses connected by a walkway. In front, a double stairway detaches and revolves, the flat backs being interchangeable to rapid provide backdrops for various indoor scenes. For Scrooge's bedroom, a plain backdrop descends in front of the main set, and a windowed side wall slides in from the wings. Much of the scene changing is incorporated into the normal movement of the crowd so that it all looks very slick and efficient. The costumes are first rate and accurate for the period, and must have been very hot for the dancers. The ghosts in particular looked very spooky, bathed in swirling blue light. The music was very christmassy with a scattering of christmas carols and wonderfully evocative both of the era and the time of year - based largely around a number of familiar christmas carols with plenty of choral work which was used to enhace the telling of the story.
12th December, 2006
Darren Goldsmith gave us a cynical and miserly Scrooge, a hardhearted skinflint who cared little for those around him. His transformation at the end was profound, if anything he became a little too sprightly for a man of advanced years. Johnathan Byrne Olivier made a fine and sympathetic Bob Cratchit, his worthy if unappreciated employee. Christopher Hinton-Lewis as the younge Scrooge gave a spritely performance and shared the best pas de deux with Chiaki Nagao as Belle Fezziwig - a moving expression of a love frustrated. Andrew Davidson and Ginnie Ray as Mr and Mrs Fezziwig provided the best of the humour with their comically inept dancing, Ginnie especially was a delight in her matronly padded dress and bonnet that fell over her eyes. Patrick Howell gave the most energetic performance as the fiddler, with some prodigious leaps. Hiranao Takahashi and Keiko Amemori as Scrooge's nephew and wife danced well together and gave us the other main pas de deux of the evening. Pippa Moore was delightfully ethereal as the Ghost of christmas past, and danced beautifully although I did find her routine a little strange, including a number of movements more suggestive of Indian dance and martial arts practice than pure ballet. David Kierce was a gumptious and playful Ghost of Christmas Present whilst Steven Wheeler was shivery in his skeletal outfit as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
5th December, 2006
This performance of NBT's enchanting ballet recreation of Dicken's classic story was little changed from that seen three years ago and remains a real festive treat with it's bountiful humour and sparkling choreography that ranges from pure classical ballet to a kind of cockney hoedown. With some of the carols being sung by the cast this is musical, ballet and theatre all rolled into one exhilarating story told with great gusto and lots of dancing by the strong ensemble cast. Martin Bell took over the role of Scrooge on this occasion, very stiff and malevolent at the beginning then surprisingly deft on his feet in the almost manic solo at the end. Kenneth Tindall immersed himself totally in the role of the much put-upon Bob Cratchit whilst Dreda Blow was just right as his loving wife struggling to do her best for her family whilst dealing with life's problems. Darren Goldsmith stepped down to the role of the Young Scrooge in this cast in the flashback to his early life and the beginings of the greed that would blight his later life and drive his one true love, Belle, movingly portrayed by Lori Gilchrist, from him. The normally elegant Georgina May and her partner Giuliano Contadini clearly had great fun and a delightful comic touch as the bumbling elder Fezziwigs, stumbling around and knocking each other over in their intricate routines. The ensemble dancing was as impressive as ever and the scenes where the condemned spirits, all ragged and pale, perform an abandoned dance around Scrooge’s bed are great fun.
A wonderful christmas treat.