THEATRE REVIEWS

Imagine Charles Dickens alighting from his carriage in the market place of Malton, a town in North Yorkshire, having just travelled in from Easthorpe house where his friend Charles Smithson's family lived and he was staying. He walks across the road and enters Chancery lane. A look down this gloomy narrow lane then invites him to make his way to a house set back slightly on the right hand side. He pauses and makes his way up the house steps and knocks on the front door. His friend Charles Smithson opens the door and he makes his way into the building. His imagination runs riot and a Christmas Carol starts to evolve.

Scrooge is now brought to life by the imaginative mind of Dickens, who mixes what he has seen and experienced, both here in Malton and in the many other towns that he has visited, and A Christmas Carol is the result. Chris Monks knew this story from his childhood and knows the town where Scrooge's office can still be seen today. The Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre then cobbled together a Christmas play calling on other productions he had seen and coming up with this year's Christmas offering. How much of it is original is up to conjecture, but it does give the audience a one act school play with an interval.

Ebenezer Scrooge is played by Kraig Thornber, who does what he can with the script and direction to bring the play to life. He is ably supported by Keith Woodason as Bob Cratchit. Other parts are by Liam Gerrard, Claude Close, Janine Birkett and Maeve Larkin, who are assisted by two teams for the children's parts.

The story is told, but do not expect much beyond that, as the actors give their all to make the play work. A pity, for so much could have been done with this story of Scrooge having been evolved in Yorkshire. © BA

“Christmas Carol” is in repertory at the Round, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough from the 30th November to the 9th of January, 2010. Box Office Telephone: 01723 370541. Ticket prices: Adults £12 - Children £6 - Family Ticket £30 (2 adults, 2 children). The lift needs to be working at least 15 minutes before the curtain rises.

Is there an Air Conditioning certificate prominently displayed in your theatre foyer stating the date of manufacture of the appliance and when the system was last inspected and serviced — if not, complain to the theatre management.