A memorable evening with my family as the four of us drove into town to attend a performance of A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic in Waterloo. Firstly, having parked near the theatre, we took the Jubilee Line to Bond Street to sample the post-Christmas West End sights.
A walk to St Christopher’s Place and a quick coffee was followed by a stroll across Oxford Street and a visit to the impressive Stella McCartney shop over three floors in Brunton Street. We then walked to Brook Street and dropped into the marvellous Handel & Hendrix Museum in Brook Street, Mayfair.
With time passing, we just had time to take in the luxury car showrooms on the east side of Berkeley Square prior to catching the tube back to Waterloo from Green Park. A swift but satisfying dinner followed at Gourmet Burger Kitchen, before we arrived at the theatre where we booked our interval drinks and found our excellent seats at the front of the dress circle.
Rhys Ifans stars as Scrooge and Matthew Warchus directs Charles Dickens’ classic Yuletide moral tale in a new adaptation by Jack Thorne. The production stays very true to the original story, as on Christmas Eve night the cold-hearted miser is visited by four ghosts. Transported into the past, present and future, Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses what a lifetime of fear and selfishness has created and sees with fresh eyes the lonely life he has built for himself. Can Ebenezer be saved before it’s too late?
The wonderful performances, sharp-edged script, staging and musical interludes featuring handbells, ensure a captivating experience. The 4D elements and the transformation from the dark and uncaring atmosphere of the first half into the light-hearted joy of the second half, tellingly underline how the timeless themes remain relevant to the 21st century.
