A Christmas Carol: The Musical

I revisited my reviews of Christmas past and was surprised to see that the 2009 Neptune production of A Christmas Carol left me so cold. Surprised because this year I left the theatre quite buoyed up by the Christmas spirit and tickled and touched by the show itself. Although the pace of the script still makes Scrooge’s journey from crotchety miser to repentant soul overly speedy, Jon Osbaldeston (reprising the role from 2009) creates a relatable Scrooge rather than a caricature. (And his transformation is delightful.) Cliff Le Jeune gives a terrific performance as the ghostly Marley, and the zombie dance number is a show highlight. The costumes by Helena Marriot are spectacular---watch for a Ghost of Christmas Present that lights up the stage. Children in the audience seemed spellbound, and though the Ghost of Christmas Past is suitably scary, all fears were dispelled by the gloriously joyful end. —Kate Watson