A CHRISTMAS CAROL 12-24 Dec 2020 - The Old Vic
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A CHRISTMAS CAROL 12–24 Dec 2020
WELCOME
from Matthew Warchus, Artistic Director of The Old Vic.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
A version by Jack Thorne
A
re we nearly there yet?’ is the recurring very memorable OLD VIC: IN CAMERA productions To support Cast Director Associate Director
question that reliably punctuates every and I’m delighted to bring you A Christmas Carol as the The Old Vic please
Andrew Lincoln Matthew Warchus Jamie Manton
long family car journey, train ride and next offering. It has been such a moving thing to witness donate at
country walk — often asked just minutes how so many people have rallied around to support oldvictheatre.com/ Melissa Allan Set & Costume 2nd Associate Director
after setting off. As mitigation most parents will resort The Old Vic, and theatre in general, at this time of donate
Rosanna Bates Rob Howell Josh Seymour
to the spacing of treats along the way — ‘emergency serious jeopardy, and back in May I received an
rations’ was how my mum and dad always announced extraordinary email from Andrew Lincoln offering to John Dagleish Composer & Arranger Associate Set
the sporadic chocolate digestive. help in any way he could. I’m incredibly grateful to him,
Tim van Eyken Christopher Nightingale Ben Davies
When lockdown began in March I think none of the creative team and staff for working together to
us predicted the length of the journey we’re now on. reconfigure this much-loved production into an Julie Jupp Lighting Associate Costume
I remember many theatres saying they were closing OLD VIC: IN CAMERA event. I’m excited to deliver the
Sam Lathwood Hugh Vanstone Irene Bohan
for two to four weeks. I certainly was mentally bracing story in this new format, with the additional opportunity
myself for an unimaginably long pause of six months of close-ups, and hope it will provide some much Eugene McCoy Broadcast Sound & Video Associate Lighting
through to September. I’m sure most of us spent needed sustenance for audiences (a mince pie or a
Gloria Obianyo Simon Baker Sam Waddington
the spring glued to news reports and government satsuma if not a chocolate digestive) on this gruelling
announcements with anxious expectation as two journey. Maria Omakinwa Movement Associate Broadcast Sound & Video
weeks turned into four, six, eight, twelve... ‘Are we nearly My favourite platitude in life, without question,
Golda Rosheuvel Lizzi Gee Jay Jones
there yet?’ is ‘This too shall pass’. It’s so reliably true. With vital
Here at The Old Vic we have been motivated to continuing intervention by the government plus the Michael Rouse Casting Associate Movement
provide treats along the way in whatever form we can exceptional support of our donors, our corporate
Clive Rowe Jessica Ronane CDG Sam Archer
— ‘emergency rations’ that boost morale, entertain and partners and our ticket-buying audience, I am more
satisfy the human instinct for empathy in a concerted confident than not that The Old Vic and the UK theatre Samuel Townsend Associate Music Supervisor & Associate Musical Director
effort to continue theatre’s fundamental role of bringing ecosystem as a whole will somehow claw its way back
Musical Director Laurie Perkins
people together in a shared experience even when to its full glory in the foreseeable future. The return of
physically impossible. And through both our free live performance is clearly going to be one of the last Tiny Tims Will Stuart
content programme Your Old Vic and our fundraising stations on the journey but as the neon sign outside
Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray Voice
OLD VIC: IN CAMERA series we have reached people our 202-year-old building defiantly reassures, ‘We’ll Be
all over the world. Back’. In the meantime we are extremely grateful for the Lara Mehmet Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth
Thanks to a wonderful team effort, and to the passionate and crucial support which is sustaining us
Lenny Rush
adventurous spirit of the writers and actors involved, month to month. Thank you for joining us on our journey.
we have managed in the last few months to deliver three Eleanor Stollery Stage Management
Robbie Cullen
Musicians Maria Gibbons
Will Stuart Kim Battistini
Christopher Allan Jenefer Tait
Martin Robertson
Clare Taylor
‘I t has been such a moving thing to witness how so Pedro Vieira da Silva
many people have rallied around to support The Old Vic,
and theatre in general, at this time of serious jeopardy’
The Old Vic is an independent, not-for-profit Despite the enormous economic and The Public Fund has been formed by a group
theatre and registered charity operating practical challenges the theatre is currently of visionary philanthropists and partners The first performance of this production was on 20 Nov 2017 at The Old Vic
without regular public subsidy. facing, much of this activity has continued including Tina Alexandrou, Clive Cowdery,
The first performance of this revival was live-streamed on 12 Dec 2020 from The Old Vic
digitally. You can find out more about how to Isabelle Georgeaux, Patrick Healy and the
We stage a broad range of shows for all support at oldvictheatre.com/support-us CVC Foundation to support The Old Vic’s
ages, support artists at every stage of most adventurous and socially pertinent
their careers, and engage with thousands We couldn’t do any of this without the productions within our season.
of people each year through innovative generosity of our Principal Partner Royal
education and community projects inside Bank of Canada, our £10 Previews Partner
and outside the building. PwC and a varied group of corporate, trusts
and foundations and individual supporters.
COMPANY PRODUCTION OLD VIC: IN
CONVERSATION
Radio and television broadcaster Dermot O’Leary
will return to host the second of our Old Vic:
In Conversation series on Thu 17 Dec at 8.30pm
GMT. He will be joined by Andrew Lincoln to
discuss being part of this year’s live streamed
production.
All tickets £20.
Ebenezer Scrooge Andrew Lincoln Production Manager Dominic Fraser* Thanks to
Little Fan Melissa Allan Deputy Production Manager Katina Ellis* Bell Perc, Bells of Whitechapel, Paul Kieve for advice on illusions,
Jess Rosanna Bates Lighting Programmers Sam Waddington Terry Eldridge, Hannah Horsburgh & Roman Benedict at National
Bob Cratchit
Nicholas
John Dagleish
Tim van Eyken Production Carpenter
Andi Davis
Craig Emmerson
Theatre, Justin Pearson, Jess Holder, Sam Archer, Steph Archer,
Rebecca Louis, Eugene McCoy, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Dale White,
IN CAMERA:
Ghost of Christmas Past Julie Jupp Lighting Technician Jack Coker Julie Jupp, Myra McFadyen. PLAYBACK
Ferdy Sam Lathwood
Fred Eugene McCoy Associate Costume Irene Bohan For The Old Vic Due to popular demand we’ve brought back
Belle Gloria Obianyo Props Supervisor Lisa Buckley Media consultant Amy Dowd for previous productions for a limited period so you
Mrs Cratchit Maria Omakinwa Hair, Wigs & Make-up Helen Keane for WDW Entertainment can watch the recorded versions of the live shows
Ghost of Christmas Present/ Golda Rosheuvel Campbell Young Associates Press Jo Allan PR
Mrs Fezziwig Musician’s Contractor David Gallagher Boneau/Bryan-Brown Tickets from £10.
Father/Marley Michael Rouse Music Copyist Jerome van den Berghe Medical services The London General Practice
Fezziwig Clive Rowe Music Technology Phij Adams Rehearsal photography Manuel Harlan
Young Ebenezer/George
Tiny Tim
Samuel Townsend
Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray Company Stage Manager Robbie Cullen
Cover photography Helen Maybanks
Faith Healer
Lara Mehmet Deputy Stage Manager Maria Gibbons *Old Vic staff
Available to watch again from
Lenny Rush Assistant Stage Manager Kim Battistini
20–22 Jan 2021 at 7.30pm GMT.
Eleanor Stollery Jenefer Tait Carols
Camera Operators Avril Cook* The carols performed throughout A Christmas Carol are:
Brian Friel’s masterful and haunting Faith Healer,
Musicians Karina Olsen* ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’
starring Michael Sheen, David Threlfall and
Musical Director/Piano Will Stuart Stanley Orwin-Fraser ‘It Came Upon the Midnight Clear’
Indira Varma, is a kaleidoscopic, ever shifting
Cello Christopher Allan Josh Reeves* ‘Il est né, le divin Enfant’
exploration of the power of belief, as the
Whistles/Bass Clarinet/Clarinet Martin Robertson Vision Mixing James Percival* ‘I Saw Three Ships’
contradicting recollections of these three
Violin Clare Taylor Broadcast & Sound Ben Davey ‘Wassail Wassail! All Over the Town’
characters seek to reconcile with the past.
Cello/Double Bass Pedro Vieira da Silva Sam Palmer ‘O Holy Night’
Sound No.1 Victoria Wilkinson ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’
Understudies Sound No.2 Heather Knott ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’
Belle/Little Fan/Mrs Cratchit
Bob Cratchit/Fezziwig/
Rosanna Bates
Tim van Eyken
Acting Head of Stage
Stage Carpenter
Aran Morrison*
Dugald Watt
‘Coventry Carol’
‘See, amid the Winter’s Snow’
Lungs
Father/Marley Stage Showman Keith Hayes ‘Joy to the World’
Available to watch again from
Ghost of Christmas Past/ Maria Omakinwa Head of Lighting Andrew Stuttard* ‘Silent Night’
27–29 Jan 2021 at 7.30pm GMT.
Ghost of Christmas Present/ Lighting Chargehand Alex Riley*
Mrs Fezziwig Lighting Board Operator Erin Rutter © The Old Vic 2020.
Directed by Matthew Warchus, Claire Foy
Fred/Young Ebenezer/George Sam Lathwood Head of Hair, Wigs & Make-Up Rob Wilson All information correct at the time of going to print
and Matt Smith performed a socially distanced
Jess Melissa Allan Head of Wardrobe Fiona Lehman*
version of Duncan Macmillan’s hilarious
Nicholas Michael Rouse Wardrobe Deputy Namaan Ebdon
emotional rollercoaster of a play about a couple
Dressers Theresa Burke
wrestling with life’s biggest dilemmas.
Joanne Hayes
Keshini Ranasinghe
Chaperones Mary Cox
Sophie Delin
Jennifer Harraghy
Sam Harrison
Deborah Spellman-Dawes
Rebecca Swann for Bea & Co
Set construction Miraculous Engineering
Lighting equipment White Light
Sound & Broadcast equipment Stage Sound Services
TCS
Costumes Sands Film Studios
National Theatre Costume Hire
Academy Costumes
COMPANY Sam Lathwood
Ferdy
Theatre includes: Mary Poppins
Maria Omakinwa
Mrs Cratchit
Theatre includes: SYLVIA,
Artemis Fowl, Alien Autopsy,
The Man Who Knew Too Little.
Television includes: Mary Queen
(UK tour); A Midsummer Night’s
Dream (Sheffield Crucible); 84
Charing Cross Road (Salisbury
& CREATIVE
(West End/International Tour A Christmas Carol 2017/2019 of Scots, 24: Live Another Day, Playhouse/Cambridge Arts
Zurich/Dubai); Charlie and the (The Old Vic); A Monster The Windsors: Royal Wedding Theatre); The Importance of
Chocolate Factory, Disaster! Calls (UK tour); Girl from Special. Being Earnest (MAC, Belfast);
(West End); Matilda the Musical, the North Country, TINA — As You Like It (Southwark
TEAM
Hairspray (UK & Ireland tour); The Tina Turner Musical, The Clive Rowe Playhouse); A Midsummer
Elf (UK tour); The Pirates of Bodyguard, Avenue Q (West Fezziwig Night’s Dream (Middle Temple
Penzance (Hackney Empire/ End); One Love (Birmingham Theatre includes: Carmen Hall); Robin Hood (Stafford
Australian tour). Sam was also a Rep); Show Boat (New Jones (The Old Vic); Kiss Me Gatehouse); Under Milk Wood
singer/vocalist in Mary Poppins London Theatre/Sheffield Kate (The Old Vic/Chichester); (Frontier Theatre). Television
Returns, a Backing Vocalist for Crucible); Soul Sister (UK tour);The Hothouse, The Fantastics, includes: Doctors, The Royals,
Adele (Wembley Stadium) and Little Shop of Horrors (Kilworth Chicago, As You Like It (West The Giblet Boys. Samuel trained
appeared on the Royal Variety House Theatre); Philip Pullman’s End); The Ladykillers (West at Royal Central School of
Performance 2019 and Britain’s Grimm Tales for Young and Old End/UK tour); The Light Speech and Drama, graduating
Got Talent 2020. (The Bargehouse). Princess, Carousel, Fuente with the Ian Fleming Award for
Ovejuna, Caroline or Change, Musical Theatre.
Eugene McCoy Golda Rosheuvel The Villains Opera, Money,
Fred Ghost of Christmas Present/ Candide, Peter Pan, Guys and
Theatre includes: A Christmas Mrs Fezziwig Dolls — Olivier Award for Best CREATIVE TEAM
Carol 2017/2018, Groundhog Theatre includes: The American Supporting Actor in a Musical,
Day (The Old Vic); Jersey Boys, Clock, A Christmas Carol 2017, Trackers (National Theatre); Jack Thorne
Guys and Dolls, MAMMA MIA! Electra, Carmen Jones (The Dick Whittington and his Cat Writer
(West End); The Man in the Old Vic); The Frontline, Romeo (Hackney Empire); Sweet Theatre includes: A Christmas
White Suit (West End/Bath and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Charity, Company (Donmar); Carol (The Old Vic/Broadway);
Theatre Royal); The Pajama Globe); The Curious Incident Blues In The Night, Just So Woyzeck (The Old Vic); Harry
Game (West End/Chichester); of the Dog in the Night Time, (Kiln); In The Willows (UK tour); Potter and the Cursed Child
Man of La Mancha (ENO); Jesus Christ Superstar, We Will Guys and Dolls (RAH); Me and (West End/ Broadway); Mydidae
American Psycho (Almeida); Rock You, Tommy (West End); My Girl (Chichester); Jack and (Soho/West End); Stacy (Tron/
Little Shop of Horrors (UK The Tempest, Julius Caesar, the Beanstalk (Wimbledon). Arcola/West End); Let the Right
tour); They’re Playing Our Song Antony and Cleopatra, Marat/ Television includes: Will, One In (West End/Dundee Rep/
(Menier Chocolate Factory); Sade (RSC); wonder.land, The So Awkward, Evermoor, Royal Court); Sunday (Atlantic
Oklahoma! (Chichester); West Pacifist’s Guide to The War on The Kennedys, The Fun Police, Theatre, New York); King Kong
Side Story (Cyprus); Hollywood Cancer (National Theatre); Porgy All the Small Things, Doctor (Broadway); Junkyard (UK tour);
Andrew Lincoln Rosanna Bates Day, The Bisexual, The Moorside: Merrily We Roll Along, A Bowl Symphonic (EC1 International). and Bess, Macbeth (Regent’s Who, Tracy Beaker. Film The Solid Life of Sugarwater
Scrooge Jess The Last Dragonslayer, Silent of Cherries, Wonderful Town, Television includes: Holby Park Open Air Theatre); includes: Beauty and the Beast. (Graeae/National Theatre/UK
Theatre includes: Parlour Song, Theatre includes: A Christmas Witness, Jonathan Strange and Girlfriends (West End); Bad City, Doctors, Unforgotten, Othello, The Big I Am (Liverpool tour); The End of History, Hope
The Late Henry Moss (Almeida); Carol 2018 (The Old Vic); Mr Norrell, Siblings, Truckers, Girls, Bat Boy! (West End/Leeds Little Crackers. Film includes: Everyman). Film includes: Lenny Rush (Royal Court); Bunny (Nabokov/
Blue/Orange (National Theatre); Les Miserables – The Staged Beaver Falls, Starlings, The Playhouse); Finding Neverland Paddington 2. Dune, Lady Macbeth. Television Tiny Tim UK tour/New York); Stuart: A Life
Hushabye Mountain (UK Concert, The Wind in the Hollow Crown: Henry V, Any (Curve Leicester); Road Show includes: Bridgerton, Luther, Theatre includes: A Christmas Backwards (Sheffield Crucible/
tour); Television includes: The Willows, MAMMA MIA!, Les Human Heart, Very Few Fish, (Menier Chocolate Factory); Lara Mehmet Silent Witness, Dead Boss, Rev, Carol 2017/2018/2019 (The Old UK tour). Television includes:
Walking Dead, Afterlife, Strike Miserables (West End); Follies The Bill, Lark Rise to Candleford.The Secret Garden, The Wind in Tiny Tim I Live With Models, Mr Stink, Vic); Trouble’s A Brewin, The The Accident, His Dark Materials,
Back, Teachers, This Woman in (National Theatre); Chitty Chitty the Willows, The Red Balloon, Theatre includes: A Christmas Holby City, Damned. Lazy Ace (West End). Television Electric Dreams, Kiri, National
White, Bomber, A Likeness in Bang Bang (Leeds Playhouse/ Tim van Eyken Turandot (Hampstead) The Carol 2018/2019 (The Old Vic). includes: A Christmas Carol, Treasure, The Last Panthers,
Stone, Trevor’s World of Sport, UK tour); Seven Brides For Nicholas Card, A Midsummer Night’s Lara trains part time at Sylvia Michael Rouse Apple Tree House, Our Family — Don’t Take My Baby, This Is
The Canterbury Tales, Whose Seven Brothers (Regent’s Park Theatre includes: A Christmas Dream (Regent’s Park Open Young Theatre School and Father/Marley Children’s BAFTA. Lenny attends England, The Fades, Glue. Film
Baby?, Lie with Me, This Life, Open Air Theatre). Carol 2017/2018, Rosencrantz Air Theatre); Honk! (Watermill Brent Youth Theatre. She is Theatre includes: A Christmas The Pauline Quirke Academy of includes: The Secret Garden,
Drop the Dead Donkey. Film & Guildenstern Are Dead (The Theatre Newbury); A Day in learning to play trumpet, piano Carol 2018 (The Old Vic); Performing Arts. Enola Holmes, Radioactive,
includes: Penguin Bloom, John Dagleish Old Vic); Shakespeare in Love Hollywood/A Night in the and guitar, sings for Brent Romeo and Juliet, The Winter’s The Aeronauts, Dirt Music,
Enduring Love, Human Traffic, Bob Cratchit (West End); The Little Match Girl Ukraine (Borderline Theatre) Choir and is involved with Brent Tale, Harlequinade, The Eleanor Stollery Radioactive, Wonder, War Book.
These Foolish Things, Hey Theatre includes: SYLVIA, (Sadler’s Wells); Easter Rising Television includes: Friday Night Orchestra. Lara has featured Bodyguard, The Lord of the Tiny Tim
Good Looking!, Scenes of a A Christmas Carol 2017 (The & Thereafter (Jermyn Street); Dinner, Casualty, Doctors, on television on Paul O’Grady’s Rings (West End); Superhero Theatre includes: A Christmas Matthew Warchus
Sexual Nature, Heartbreaker, Old Vic); Common (National Birdsong (UK tour); War Horse, Eastenders, The Bill, Film Little Heroes. (Southwark Playhouse); Carol 2019 (The Old Vic). Director
Made in Dagenham, Moonshot, Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s NT: 50 Years on Stage (National includes: Topsy Turvy, Tree of Three Men in a Boat (UK tour); Eleanor is a proficient braillist, Theatre includes: OLD VIC:
Wuthering Heights, Love Actually, Dream (Young Vic); The Winter’s Theatre); The Ballad of Little Hands. Radio includes: A Man Gloria Obianyo Carousel (Opera North); Matilda is fiercely independent and uses IN CAMERA — Faith Healer,
Gangster No. 1, Boston Kickout. Tale/Harlequinade (Garrick); Musgrove (Aldeburgh Music); of Letters. Belle the Musical, The Secret Garden a white cane to navigate the OLD VIC IN: CAMERA — Three
Sunny Afternoon — Olivier Ballroom of Joys and Sorrow Theatre includes: Fanny and (RSC); Oklahoma! (Chichester); world. She loves singing, art, Kings, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA —
Melissa Allan Award for Best Actor in a (Watford Palace); GOOD (Royal Rayhaan Alexander (The Old Vic); Girl The Boyfriend (Regent’s Park theatre and musicals. She also Lungs, Lungs, Present Laughter,
Little Fan Musical (Hampstead/Harold Exchange, Manchester); The Kufuor-Gray from the North Country (West Open Air Theatre); Once in a voices a lead character in a ‘Art’, The Caretaker, The Master
Theatre includes: A Christmas Pinter Theatre); The Mother Long Goodbye (Hampstead). Tiny Tim End/Toronto); Antony and Lifetime, The Mandate, A Funny forthcoming children’s animation Builder, Future Conditional,
Carol 2017/2019 (The Old Vic); (Out of Joint/Royal Court). Television includes: Foyle’s War. Theatre includes: A Christmas Cleopatra (National Theatre); Thing Happened On the Way series for a major Children’s TV Speed-the-Plow (The Old Vic);
Twelfth Night (Young Vic); Our Film includes: Farming, Film includes: The Imitation Carol 2019 (The Old Vic). The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui to the Forum (National Theatre); platform. A Christmas Carol, Groundhog
Ladies of Perpetual Succour Christopher Robin, Judy, Game. Rayhaan trained at Pineapple (Donmar); The Wild Party Doña Rosita: The Spinster Day, The Norman Conquests
— Olivier Award for Best New The Gentleman, On the Beaches, Performing Arts. He is currently (West End); The Grinning (Orange Tree); Sweeney Todd Samuel Townsend (The Old Vic/Broadway); Matilda
Comedy, Scotsman Fringe First Kick at the Door, All is True, Julie Jupp training and represented by The Man (Bristol Old Vic); Jesus (The Courtyard); A Winter’s Young Ebenezer/George the Musical (RSC/West End/
Award, Herald Angel Award, Mary Poppins Returns, The Ghost of Christmas Past Rose Arts London and receives Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park Tale (Oxford Shakespeare Theatre includes: A Christmas Broadway/International tour);
The Stage Ensemble Award Monuments Men, Age of Heroes, Theatre includes: The American tuition from LAMDA. He enjoys Open Air Theatre). Television: Company). Film includes: Death Carol 2019 (The Old Vic); Ghost the Musical (West End/
(National Theatre of Scotland/ Frankie Teardrop, The Priest. Clock, Groundhog Day (The breakdancing, drama and singing Good Omens, Feel Good. on the Nile, 1917, All is True, Harold And Maude (West End); Broadway/South Korea);
National Theatre/UK tour). Television includes: The Third Old Vic); Richard III, Urinetown, and plays the trombone. Film includes: Dune, High Life. Murder on the Orient Express, The Picture of Dorian Gray La Bête (West End/Broadway);
God of Carnage (West End/ Rob Howell Christopher Hugh Vanstone Above & next page: Cast & crew in Future Conditional, High Society, West End); Goodnight Mr Tom from the North Country (The Old Broadway/LA); Deathtrap, Set & Costume Nightingale Lighting rehearsals for A Christmas Carol Electra, The Norman Conquests, (Chichester/West End); Twelfth Vic/West End); The Divide (The Endgame (West End); Theatre includes: OLD VIC: Composer & Arranger Hugh has designed the lighting Hedda Gabler (The Old Vic); Night, Vernon God Little (Young Old Vic/EIF); Film includes: Our House, Much Ado About IN CAMERA — Faith Healer, Theatre as Composer includes: for over 200 productions Girl from the North Country Vic); The Madness of George The Kid Who Would Be King, Nothing (West End/UK tour); OLD VIC: IN CAMERA — A Christmas Carol (The and worked for most of the (The Old Vic/Off-Broadway/ III (Nottingham Playhouse); Emma (Working Title Films). Boeing-Boeing (West End/ Lungs, Lungs, Present Old Vic/Broadway); Future UK’s national companies and West End/Toronto); Groundhog Hansel and Gretel, Little Shop of Broadway/UK tour); The Lord of Laughter, Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, Conditional (The Old Vic); on Broadway. Theatre as an Day (The Old Vic/ Broadway); Horrors (Regent’s Park Open Air Will Stuart the Rings (Toronto/West End); The Caretaker, The Master The Divide (The Old Vic/ Associate Artist includes: ‘Art’, Shakespeare in Love (West Theatre); Frost/Nixon (Sheffield Associate Musical Supervisor Buried Child, Volpone (National Builder, Future Conditional, EIF). Theatre as Orchestrator, No’s Knife, The Caretaker, End); Matilda the Musical — Crucible); National Theatre 2017 & Musical Director Theatre); Follies (Broadway); A Flea in Her Ear, Inherit Additional Music, Musical The Master Builder, Future Olivier Award for Best Sound Gala, A Pacifist’s Guide to the Theatre as Musical Director Life x 3 (National Theatre/ the Wind, Speed-the-Plow, Supervisor includes: Groundhog Conditional (The Old Vic); (RSC/West End/Broadway/ War on Cancer, Rocket to the includes: Mood Music, The Old Vic/Broadway); True Complicit (The Old Vic); Day — Olivier Award for Best Groundhog Day — Olivier Award International tour); Malory Moon (National Theatre); The A Christmas Carol, The Divide, West (Donmar/Broadway); A Christmas Carol, The Norman New Musical (The Old Vic/ for Best New Musical (The Old Towers, Wise Children (UK tour); Merry Widow, lolanthe (ENO); OV200 (The Old Vic); Stärnorna The Unexpected Man (RSC/ Conquests, Groundhog Day Broadway); Matilda the Musical Vic/Broadway). Recent theatre Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Present Laughter (Chichester); i baren (Wermland Opera); West End/Broadway); ‘Art’ (The Old Vic/Broadway). — seven Olivier Awards, four includes: The Height of the Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale (RSC). Guys and Dolls, Standing (Broadway/West End/Los Rob has also worked at the Tony Awards (RSC/West Storm, The Birthday Party, Venus Globe); The Light Princess, at the Sky’s Edge (Sheffield Angeles); Hamlet, Henry V National Theatre, RSC, Royal End/Broadway). Theatre as in Fur, Dreamgirls, Matilda the Amen Corner (National Theatre); Jessica Ronane CDG Crucible); Stella McCartney (RSC); Betrayal, Death of a Court, Almeida, Donmar, Musical Supervisor, Arranger Musical (West End); Exit The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Casting (Paris Fashion Week). Theatre Salesman, The Plough and Young Vic, Bristol Old Vic, and Orchestrator includes: the King, The Red Lion (National Vic/West End); Tristan & Yseult, For The Old Vic: OLD VIC: as Associate/Assistant Musical the Stars, Fiddler on the Chichester, Royal Opera House, Ghost The Musical (West End/ Theatre); Hillary and Clinton, Brief Encounter, The Red Shoes, IN CAMERA — Faith Healer, Director includes: Kinky Boots, Roof, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Metropolitan Opera and on Broadway). Theatre as Musical The Boys in the Band The Wild Bride, 946, Rebecca, OLD VIC IN: CAMERA — Three Made in Dagenham, Sinatra, Woolf?, True West, Peter Pan Broadway. He has won three Supervisor and Orchestrator (Broadway); Awards include: The Flying Lovers (Kneehigh). Kings, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA From Here to Eternity (West (Leeds Playhouse). Opera Olivier Awards for Set Design, includes: Bombay Dreams three Olivier Awards, a Tony — Lungs, 4000 Miles, Lungs, End); Pippin (Menier). Theatre includes: Falstaff, Così Fan including for Matilda the Musical (West End). Theatre as Award and a Molière Award. Lizzi Gee A Very Expensive Poison, as Musical Supervisor includes: Tutte (ENO); The Rake’s (RSC/West End/Broadway/ Co-Composer and Orchestrator Movement Present Laughter, All My Sons, A Christmas Carol (Associate, Progress (ROH/WNO). International tour), for which he includes: The Lord of the Rings. Simon Baker Theatre includes: The The American Clock, SYLVIA, Broadway); From Here to Film includes: Pride — BIFA also won a Tony Award. This Theatre as Arranger and Musical Broadcast Sound & Video Grinch (NBC TV broadcast); A Monster Calls, Mood Music, Eternity (USA); Guys and Dolls Best British Independent year he won two Tony Awards Director includes: Closer to Theatre includes: OLD VIC: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Fanny & Alexander, A Christmas (Sheffield Crucible). Theatre Film, Simpatico. Matthew for Set and Costume Design Heaven. Theatre as Musical IN CAMERA — Faith Healer, Are Dead (The Old Vic); Carol, Woyzeck, Rosencrantz as Arranger/Orchestrator was an Associate Director at for The Ferryman (Royal Court/ Director includes: Whistle OLD VIC IN: CAMERA — Three A Christmas Carol (The Old & Guildenstern Are Dead, includes: Wicked (Hamburg Leeds Playhouse and Artistic West End/Broadway). Down the Wind, Oliver!. Film Kings, OLD VIC: IN CAMERA — Vic/Broadway); Upstart Crow, King Lear, The Caretaker, 2021); Guys and Dolls Associate at The Old Vic as Composer includes: Pride. Lungs, Present Laughter, An Ideal Husband, The Girls The Master Builder, Dr. Seuss’s (Sheffield Crucible); Committee before being appointed Artistic Film as Conductor/Vocal Coach A Christmas Carol, The (West End); The Man in The The Lorax, The Hairy Ape, Future (Donmar); Amélie (Munich); Director of the theatre in 2014. includes: Evita. Caretaker, The Master Builder, White Suit (Theatre Royal Bath/ Conditional (The Old Vic); Girl From Here to Eternity (USA).
Sam Waddington Laurie Perkins 2010–2011, the National Theatre BBC Radio 3); Taxi Driver
Associate Lighting Associate Musical Director 2000–2010, and also worked Suite (London Philharmonic/
Theatre as Associate includes: Groundhog Day (The Old Vic); with the National Symphony Meltdown Festival); Glasunov
Present Laughter (The Old Vic); Matilda The Musical, Ghost, Orchestra. (BBC WNO/Saint David’s
A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic/ Carousel, Lord Of The Rings, Cathedral); Night Prayers
Broadway); The Merry Widow The Pirates Of Penzance (West Lisa Buckley (Rheinische Philharmonie);
(ENO); Dusty (UK tour); The End); Other UK theatre — Props Supervisor Rhapsody for Saxophone
Velveteen Rabbit (Unicorn/ A Pleasure’s Progress, A Tender Theatre includes: Harry Potter (London Philharmonic); The
Seattle Children’s Theater, Thing, The King & I, Only You and the Cursed Child, The Lord Veil of the Temple (Berlin
Washington); Rules for Living Can Save Mankind; Groundhog of the Rings, Les Miserables Radio Choir); About Water
(UK tour). Theatre as Lighting Day, Ghost, Matilda the Musical (West End/International); The (London Sinfonietta/Queen
Designer includes: Much Ado (Broadway). Television includes: Book of Mormon, Matilda the Elizabeth Hall); Panic (Proms/
About Nothing (Cambridge Arts Genius, I’d Do Anything, Musical, The Ferryman, Waitress BBC Scottish Symphony
Theatre); Maggot Moon, Seesaw Your Country Needs You. the Musical, Girl from the North Orchestra); Poirot Variants (BBC
(Unicorn); It Never Happened Film includes: Pride. Country, Billy Elliot the Musical; Philharmonic); Delta Saxophone
(Arts Ed); Wasted, Other Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Quartet (European tour).
People’s Money, Superhero Campbell Young Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins, Television includes: The Crown,
(Southwark Playhouse); 35mm Associates Beautiful, Women on the Verge House, Hotel Babylon, Mrs.
(The Other Palace). Hair, Wigs & Make-up of a Nervous Breakdown, Ghost, Brown, Planet Earth, Life, Luther.
Theatre includes: Present Spring Awakening, Once the Film includes: The Witches,
Jay Jones Laughter, The American Clock, Musical, Stephen Ward, Love Downton Abbey, Knives Out,
Associate Broadcast Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, The Never Dies (West End). Lisa Shakespeare in Love, Billy Elliot,
Sound & Video Master Builder, High Society, has also worked on seasons Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, King
As Sound Designer: Electra, Clarence Darrow, at Chichester Festival Theatre, Arthur, Kingdom of Heaven.
Remembrance; OV200 Gala Sweet Bird of Youth (The Old Grange Park and Garsington
(The Old Vic); Gate Gala (St Vic); Girl from the North Country Opera. Clare Taylor
Paul’s, Hammersmith); Dead Dog (The Old Vic/West End); Violin
in a Suitcase (Kneehigh); Robin A Christmas Carol, Groundhog Theatre as Musician includes:
Hood (The Watermill Theatre); Day (The Old Vic/Broadway); MUSICIANS A Christmas Carol, Girl from
Plastic (Ustinov Studio, Bath). Leopoldstadt, Rosmersholm, the North Country (The Old
As Associate Designer: Wise All About Eve, Company, Funny Christopher Allan Vic); The Secret Diary of Adrian
Children, A Christmas Carol, Girl Girl, Gypsy (West End); The Cello Mole aged 13 ¾ The Musical,
from the North Country (The Old Ferryman, Tina — The Tina Theatre includes: A Christmas Motown the Musical, Charlie
Vic); Malory Towers (Passenger Turner Musical, Charlie and the Carol (The Old Vic); Matilda the and the Chocolate Factory,
Shed Bristol); The Grinning Man Chocolate Factory, Matilda the Musical, Bombay Dreams, Les On The Town, The Wild Party,
(West End); Brief Encounter Musical (West End/Broadway); Miserables (West End); Mrs An American in Paris, Les
Charlie Wilton’s Music Hall); The Day Urinetown (Mountview); God of Carnage (West End/ (Empire Cinema Haymarket); The Les Liaisons Dangereuses Affleck, Waves, ...Some Trace Misérables, The Lord of The
Hughes-D’Aeth After (ENO/Royal Conservatoire Loserville (Stafford Gatehouse). Broadway); Bombay Dreams Little Match Girl (Bristol Old Vic/ (Donmar/Broadway); of Her, Three Sisters (National Rings, Young Frankenstein,
Voice of Scotland); No Quarter, Theatre as Associate Director (Broadway); An American Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour); To Kill A Mockingbird, King Theatre); Othello (Shakespeare’s Aladdin (West End); Yes (ROH);
Theatre includes: Lungs, A Very A Single Act, The Norman includes: Red, Beautiful — The in Paris (Broadway/Paris); Tristan & Yseult (Kneehigh); 946 Lear, Carousel, Hello Dolly, Globe); Hecuba, King Lear Saint George and the Dragon
Expensive Poison, Present Conquests, Punk Rock (Duelling Carole King Musical, My Night The Trojans (Metropolitan The Amazing Story of Adolphus (Broadway); One Night in Miami (RSC). Television includes: Zog (National Theatre). Other
Laughter, The American Clock, Productions); Our Lords and with Reg (West End); Follies Opera, New York). Tips (Kneehigh). Jay is currently (Donmar); Television includes: and the Flying Doctors, Indian work includes: London Mozart
A Monster Calls, Girl from the Masters, August: Osage County (National Theatre); A Christmas an Audio Project Manager at The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. Summers. Film includes: The Players, Brighton Philharmonic
North Country, The Divide, (Exeter Northcott). As Revival Carol (The Old Vic — 2nd Irene Bohan The Royal Albert Hall. Film includes: Downton Abbey. Hobbit, The Ring, Resistance, Orchestra. Television includes:
A Christmas Carol, Woyzeck, Director: Carmen (ENO). Associate Director). Associate Costume The Dark Knight, Captain Channel 4 News, The Jonathan
‘Art’, Groundhog Day, The As Associate Director includes: Theatre includes: A Christmas Sam Archer David Gallagher Corelli’s Mandolin. Christopher Ross Show, BAFTA Awards
Caretaker, The Master Builder, A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic/ Ben Davies Carol, Dr. Seuss’s The Associate Movement Musicians’ Contractor has toured extensively with 2018. Film includes: That Day
Future Conditional; (The Old Broadway). As Assistant Director Associate Set Lorax, The Caretaker, Future Theatre includes: Wise As Orchestral Manager/ the Hofesh Shechter Dance We Sang, Band of Brothers.
Vic); The Divide (The Old Vic/ includes: King Lear (The Old Theatre as Associate Designer Conditional, Inherit the Wind, Children (The Old Vic); An Ideal Musicians’ Contractor: company. and was a member
EIF); Matilda the Musical Vic); Billy Budd (ROH/Rome includes: Present Laughter, The Norman Conquests Husband, We Will Rock You, The American Clock, of the acclaimed contemporary Pedro Vieira da Silva
(RSC); The Gods Weep (RSC/ Opera). Jamie is a regular Staff Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, (The Old Vic); The Graduate, Oliver!, Chariots of Fire (West A Christmas Carol, Sylvia, music-theatre group The Cello/Double Bass
Hampstead); The Tempest, Director at ENO. Upcoming ‘Art’, Electra (The Old Vic); Skylight, The Audience, End); wonder.land (National Fanny and Alexander, The Gogmagogs. Christopher plays Theatre includes: A Christmas
Much Ado About Nothing (RSC/ as Director: The Elixir of Love A Christmas Carol (The Old The Phantom of the Opera, Theatre); Earthquakes in London Divide, Dr Seuss’s The Lorax, with the Britten Sinfonia and Carol (The Old Vic); Matilda the
Shakespeare in a Suitcase); (Waterperry Opera). Vic/Broadway); Beautiful — Sunset Boulevard, Priscilla (UK Tour); The Soldier’s Tale Groundhog Day, Future the Orchestra of the Swan. Musical (West End). Pedro has a
Adrian Mole the Musical The Carole King Musical (West Queen of the Desert, Bombay (Metropolitan Theatre, Tokyo); La Conditional, The Bridge Project, He has arranged for a number Masters Degree in Performance
(Leicester Curve); Jerusalem Josh Seymour End); The Ferryman, Charlie Dreams, The Lord of the Rings, Bohéme (RAH); Metamorphosis Cinderella (The Old Vic); Come of projects including for Hofesh from the Royal Academy of
(Northcott Exeter). Charlie is 2nd Associate Director and the Chocolate Factory Our House Leopoldstadt (Joyce Theatre, New York); From Away, Matilda the Musical, Shechter and Mumford and Music.
Consultant Voice Coach Matilda Theatre as Director includes: (West End/Broadway); The Red (West End); Hadestown, The Red Shoes, Cinderella, 42nd Street, Girl from the North Sons.
the Musical (Resident 2010–14) [title of show] (West End); Lion, Three Days in the Country, Follies, The Threepenny Opera, Lord of the Flies, Swan Lake, Country, Queen Anne, From
and was Resident Voice Coach Midwestern Gothic (Royal King Lear (National Theatre). The Wind in the Willows The Car Man, Play Without Here to Eternity (West End); Martin Robertson Credits have been edited
for Charlie and the Chocolate Academy of Music); Little Theatre as Assistant Designer (National Theatre). Opera and Words, Nutcracker, Edward Local Hero (Edinburgh Lyceum); Whistle/Bass Clarinet/ for the purposes of this
Factory from 2013–17. Shop of Horrors (LAMDA); includes: Groundhog Day — Dance includes: Carmen, Scissorhands (Matthew Bourne’s The Wizard of Oz (Leeds Clarinet publication and are not an
Musik (Edinburgh Festival/Arts two Olivier Awards including Die Fledermaus, Werther, New Adventures Company); Playhouse); Guys and Dolls Performance includes: exhaustive list.
Jamie Manton Theatre); Homos, or Everyone Best New Musical (The Old Vic/ The Marriage of Figaro, Manon The Wind in the Willows (Sheffield Crucible); Matilda Sarabande (Purcell Room);
Associate Director in America, Adding Machine: Broadway); Sweeney Todd, (Metropolitan Opera, New (Linbury Studio Theatre); the Musical, Jackie, Bernadette Your Rockaby (Royal Festival
Theatre/Opera as Director A Musical (Finborough); Oliver!, The Audience, The York); Romeo & Juliet, The Oklahoma! (Chichester); Mary Peters, Crush, Play Without Hall/RAH); Blood on the
includes: Eugene Onegin One Arm — 2016 Off West Wizard of Oz, Hamlet, Betty Red Shoes, Early Adventures, Poppins (UK tour). Television Words (UK tours); Wolf Hall Floor (Berlin Philharmonic/
(Buxton International Festival); End Award for Best Director Blue Eyes, The Children’s Hour, Dorian Gray (New Adventures). includes: Humans, Mr Selfridge. recordings (Broadway). Film LA Philharmonic/London
Opera Squad (ENO); Paul (Southwark Playhouse); Shrek The Musical (West End); Film includes: The Madness of Film includes: Allied, Muppets includes: Robin Hood. David Philharmonic/BBC Symphony);
Bunyan (ENO/Alexandra Palace/ American Idiot, Parade, Gypsy (Chichester/West End); King George. Most Wanted, Life is a Buffet. was Music Manager at the RSC Prelude, Fugue, Riffs (RAH/
SUPPORTING SUPPORT US
OTHERS
Help safeguard the future of this iconic beacon of British culture.
This year we wanted to particularly recognise those who have If you would like The Old Vic is an independent charity and a world leader in creativity
been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We are therefore to make a and entertainment, with a strong social mission. We hold the belief
proud that: donation, become that theatre needs to be supported, shared and upheld for as many
a Member, or people as possible, and particularly in this challenging time of
2,542 care 123 state
support through separation.
your business or
homes schools
trust we would In order to contribute to the national effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic, our beloved theatre is currently
be extraordinarily physically closed, although it has become a hive of digital creativity during lockdown. As a charity without regular
grateful. public subsidy, we have no safety net and this extended period of closure has been financially devastating for
across the UK in Southwark & Lambeth
us. But despite the challenges, we are determined to continue inspiring and entertaining our audiences and
beneficiaries through innovative creative digital content together with online Education & Community programmes
will watch the live streamed production of A Christmas Carol for free. for those who need it most. Our supporters have always been the lifeblood of The Old Vic, helping to secure its
future. Never has this been more true. We will fight hard to keep it for everyone, as we know that theatre has a
profound role to play in the cultural, social and economic rebuild of our nation.
Find out more about supporting The Old Vic at oldvictheatre.com/support-us
Individual and Trust & Foundation Support Corporate Support
Sam Morley, Co-Director of Development Olivia Highland, Co-Director of Development
sam.morley@oldvictheatre.com olivia.highland@oldvictheatre.com
020 7981 0999 020 7981 0973
PHOTO: MANUEL HARLAN
Our Charity Partner Visit
oldvictheatre.com/
charity-partners
to donate.
The Old Vic’s Charity Partner for 2020 is FoodCycle which provides
nutritious meals and conversation to communities across the country.
Under ‘normal’ circumstances, FoodCycle brings people To help guests feel less isolated, FoodCycle also
and communities together to share nutritious weekly launched their Check-in and Chat service, where
meals, with the aim of reducing food poverty and volunteers call guests for a weekly natter.
tackling social isolation. Open to all, guests range from
low-income families, people affected by homelessness We are also delighted to share that writer Jack Thorne,
and those who simply cannot afford to buy food. together with his wife Rachel, has generously pledged
to match all A Christmas Carol FoodCycle donations
PHOTO: MANUEL HARLAN
Despite coronavirus, FoodCycle volunteers are still received from the public up to £250,000. We hope this
making tasty meals, but instead of sitting down together, will inspire people to support and donate.
Right: Indira Varma &
this is now a takeaway service, where guests come Andrew Scott in
and collect the meals to eat at home. Present Laughter, 2019
CHARITY &
‘T he message of A Christmas Carol then is
not just to act, but to act now, while we can.
Dickens implores us to look at those around
FRIENDSHIP
us who need help and give it gladly, for its own
reward. Those twin wraiths, Ignorance and
Want, can only be conquered once everyone
does their part in charity and friendship’
Dr Pete Orford on the themes of A Christmas Carol.
Marley & Scrooge, A Christmas Carol
I
t is remarkable to think that a short and jail, in misery’s every refuge, and wandering the earth invisible, he has the
novella written in 1843 should continue Scrooge was adamant at every door that chance to make a difference again.
to maintain such an influence on the he was right to have left the mark he had.’
way we think about Christmas today. Dickens is drawing our attention not to SCROOGE: ‘If I could ease your path...’
Dickens may not have actually invented those who need help, but those who would MARLEY: ‘You can’t. You can only ease
the festive season (as some suggest), but choose to ignore that. Scrooge declares: your own’
A Christmas Carol certainly captures much ‘I am a realist Sir, I see the world clearly,
of what we now associate with it — snow- I have nothing to learn from the present.’ Nor is this desire unique to the ghost of
covered streets, carol singing, presents and The Ghost challenges Scrooge in the Marley. When he leaves, Scrooge looks
a glorious dinner… it is the very spirit (pun novella to ‘Deny it!’, and Dickens is offering out of the window to see many such spirits
intended) of Christmas. the same challenge to his reader. wandering the streets. They are not haunting
But we are so enamoured with the But A Christmas Carol also contains people, but are haunted by people.
sentimentality of the scene, and the miracle a message of more personal charity, They are tormented by the sight of the
of Scrooge’s transformation, that we often and self-sacrifice. While Scrooge does poor and neglected around them who they
overlook the story’s most important message indeed give a sizeable donation — and are unable to help. The misery with them all
— to help others less fortunate than not a farthing less — to the gentleman was, clearly, that they sought to interfere,
ourselves. There are three events that are collecting for charity, he is equally focused for good, in human matters, and had lost
thought to have inspired Dickens: the rather on helping those closer to him, just as he the power for ever. It seems that all these
wordy Second Report of the Children’s in turn is the focus of another’s charitable souls, like Marley, are troubled most by their
Employment Commission in February 1843 concern: Jacob Marley. Marley’s ghost gets inability to make a difference. In life they had
which painted a bleak, yet sadly accurate, a little overshadowed by the three spirits the ability, but not the will. In death they have
picture of the state of child poverty; a visit which follow him, but he is vital to the the will, but lack the ability to enforce it.
Dickens made to a Ragged School in the story. Scrooge’s redemption originates not The message of A Christmas Carol
summer of that same year; and finally a with anything Scrooge himself does, but then is not just to act, but to act now, while
public address given by Dickens in October with Marley’s own determination to offer we can. Dickens implores us to look at
1843 at the Manchester Athenaeum, him ‘a chance and hope of my procuring, those around us who need help and to give
a project designed to provide education for Ebenezer’. Faced with the horror that awaits it gladly, for its own reward. Those twin
all to combat what Dickens worried was ‘a after a lifetime of selfishness and greed, wraiths, Ignorance and Want, can only be
vast amount of ignorance’. While academics Marley arrives that fateful Christmas Eve — conquered once everyone does their part
continue to debate the predominant the anniversary of his death — specifically in charity and friendship. This charitable
influence of these three events, what we to help Scrooge. message ensures that, as seasonal as
can all agree on is that together they show While Marley goes through the afterlife A Christmas Carol may be, its message
Dickens was immersed in contemporary laden down with the chains of his sins, is perennial. As Scrooge himself says, ‘I will
concerns of poverty and need. In the novella he does not seek to relieve his own suffering, honour Christmas in my heart, and try to
and Jack Thorne’s version of A Christmas but to save his one friend from having to keep it all the year.’
Carol this comes most forcibly when the endure the same fate. There is no indication
IMAGE: ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Ghost of Christmas Present walks Scrooge that Scrooge’s redemption will lead to
through the streets of London: ‘Much they Marley’s own salvation, nothing to suggest Dr Pete Orford is Course Director of
saw, and far they went, and many homes that his own fate will change. Instead, it is the MA in Charles Dickens Studies at the
they visited. The Spirit stood Scrooge the deed itself, of saving Scrooge, which University of Buckingham and Charles
beside sick beds, in almshouse, hospital, is to be Marley’s reward. Finally, after years Dickens Museum, London.
THE REAL I
n the spring of 1843, the 31-year-old
Charles Dickens was feeling hurt by
criticism of his current novel, Martin
problem of two consecutive harvests failing
meant that food was scarce and most of it
was beyond the price many working-class
‘a national benefit, and to every man or
woman who reads it a personal kindness’.
By sheer coincidence, A Christmas Carol
STORY
Chuzzlewit, fretting over the state of people could afford. Dickens walked the was published in the very same year in
the unequal society in which he lived, and streets in horror at the poverty all around which the first Christmas card was produced
yearning to be able to bring about genuine him. His Athenaeum speech, delivered on commercially. A busy civil servant, Henry
social change in a world that seemed 05 October 1843, was an impassioned Cole, decided he didn’t have time to write all
BEHIND A
uncaring of those who were most in need yell to the government, calling for much- his Christmas letters, so he commissioned
of being cared for. When he was invited needed reform. His speech seethed with an artist to paint a picture of his family
to attend a fundraising dinner in aid of fury and his own feelings of powerlessness. celebrating Christmas, turned it into a card
the Charterhouse Square infirmary, which He railed about the upper class of wealthy and had 1,000 cards printed. Those he didn’t
CHRISTMAS
housed elderly, impoverished men, privileged men who refused to share their need, he put up for sale.
he hoped the evening would make a riches with the poor: Charles Dickens used A Christmas
difference to the lives of the poor. Instead he “…How often have we heard from a Carol as a way of venting his own feelings
found himself at a table of corpulent wealthy large class of men… that ‘a little learning about an uncaring society. At the beginning
CAROL
men, who had made their fortunes in the City is a dangerous thing?’ Why, a little hangingof the story, Ebenezer Scrooge states that
of London and seemed unconcerned about was considered a very dangerous thing, poor people who are unable to work should
the plight of those for whom the dinner was according to the same authorities, with thisdie and ‘decrease the surplus population’.
being held. Dickens wrote a contemptuous difference, that, because a little hanging was
Dickens was voicing what he believed many
letter to his friend, the playwright Douglas dangerous, we had a great deal of it; and, of his readers felt about the poor — and
Jerrold, describing his fellow diners as because a little learning was dangerous, how he believed people had once viewed
By Lucinda Dickens Hawksley. ‘sleek, slobbering, bow-paunched, overfed, we were to have none at all…” him in childhood, when his father had been
apoplectic, snorting cattle’ (03 May 1843). His speech was reported in newspapers imprisoned for debt, and, at the age of 12,
His frustration with the world had been all over the country. Dickens was becoming Dickens had been found a poorly paid job
exacerbated, instead of relieved, by the recognised as a firebrand and a radical — in a factory. This early comment haunts
charitable evening. and the public loved him. Scrooge, who grows to be deeply ashamed
A few weeks previously, the author had Back in London, the author knew he for having ever thought of his fellow human
read a parliamentary report on Britain’s child needed to write something monumentally beings as worthless.
Charles Dickens, 1843
For Dickens, the most important
‘B ack to London, the author knew he scene of A Christmas Carol is often left
needed to write something monumentally out of adaptations. It is when the Ghost of
Christmas Present is starting to age and
important. He couldn’t rest until he had
fade away, and Scrooge notices something
written it; it became a compulsion’ underneath the spirit’s robe. He thinks it is
an animal’s claw, but it is the skinny hand of
labourers (by pioneering doctor Thomas important. He couldn’t rest until he had a child:
Southwood Smith), and had been ‘stricken written it; it became a compulsion. On 24 “two children; wretched, abject, frightful,
down’ by it. He was desperate to write October 1843 he penned a letter to his friend hideous, miserable…clung upon the outside
something that would help. His first idea Professor MacVey Napier. It contains the very of its garment…
was for a pamphlet entitled An Appeal to first mention of A Christmas Carol: ‘I plunged ‘Spirit, are they yours?’ Scrooge could
the People of England, on Behalf of the headlong into a little scheme…[and] set an say no more.
Poor Man’s Child. The more he thought artist at work upon it’. The illustrator he had ‘They are Man’s,’ said the Spirit, looking
about it, however, the less impact he felt chosen was his friend John Leech (who later down upon them. ‘…This boy is Ignorance.
a pamphlet would have. He wanted to became famous as a cartoonist for Punch). This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all
create something that would grab people’s A Christmas Carol was written in of their degree…’.”
attention, strike ‘a sledgehammer blow’ on just six weeks. Dickens finished it on This scene encapsulates Dickens’
behalf of poor children and have ‘twenty 02 December, at a time when his personal impetus behind the writing of A Christmas
thousand times the force’ of a government life was not easy. He was panicking about Carol. He wanted his readers to realise that,
pamphlet. finances, his bank account was overdrawn if they continued to deny poor children the
That October, Dickens travelled to and his publishers, Chapman and Hall, necessities of life — such as food, shelter,
Manchester, where he was to give a speech considered his idea for a Christmas-themed warm clothing, healthcare and an education
in support of the Athenaeum, a charity which novella a very strange one. They had so little — those neglected children might grow up
provided education for working men and faith in the project that they had refused to to become dangerous, violent adults.
women. His much-loved older sister, Fanny, pay the full costs for publishing it. Having Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas
lived in Manchester with her husband, Henry paid for so much of the book’s costs himself, Carol in 1843. Every Christmastime in
Burnett, and their two sons, Harry (who Dickens became furious at how little effort newspapers all around the world can be
was disabled) and Charles. During his visit, the publisher was making to publicise it. found articles echoing Dickens’ words of
Dickens was confronted by the difficulties The company would come to regret its lack 175 years ago, yet somehow the message
IMAGE: GRANGER HISTORICAL PICTURE ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
disabled children faced. He realised that of confidence in its star author. still fails to get through to those in power,
impoverished disabled children had lives In 1844, overwhelmed by the success the ‘sleek, slobbering, bow-paunched,
even harder than that of his nephew. As a of his Christmas book, Dickens left Chapman overfed, apoplectic, snorting cattle’ of
result of this visit, Harry Burnett inspired and Hall and moved to the rival publishing Dickens’ letter written all those years ago.
one of Dickens’ best-loved characters: house of Bradbury and Evans.
Tiny Tim. Fanny was immortalised as A Christmas Carol was published on
‘Scrooge’s younger sister; Little Fan’. 19 December 1843. By Christmas Eve, Lucinda Dickens Hawksley is the
Despite the boom years of the early the initial print run of six thousand copies author of Dickens and Christmas (Pen and
Industrial Revolution, Manchester was had sold out and the book was already being Sword books). She is the great great great
now suffering through the ‘Hungry Forties’. reprinted. The novelist William Thackeray granddaughter of Charles & Catherine
The economic depression in Britain meant wrote a heartfelt review of the novella in Dickens, and a Patron of the Charles
unemployment was increasing. The added Fraser’s Magazine, in which he called it Dickens Museum in London.
Andrew Lincoln
Top row l–r: Eugene McCoy; Gloria Obianyo; Tim van Eyken Bottom row l–r: Lara Mehmet; Lenny Rush; Eleanor Stollery; Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray
Top row l–r: Maria Omakinwa; Michael Rouse; Clive Rowe Bottom row l–r: John Dagleish, Eugene McCoy, Melissa Allan, Andrew Lincoln; Josh Seymour, John Dagleish
Top row l–r: Melissa Allan; Laurie Perkins, Golda Rosheuvel; Samuel Townsend, Rosanna Bates, Sam Lathwood Bottom row l–r: Melissa Allan, Samuel Townsend, Andrew Lincoln; Andrew Lincoln, Golda Rosheuvel
OUR 2020
On 18 March 2020, due to the pandemic, we temporarily closed our theatre.
Your Old Vic
Your Old Vic is our way of keeping connected
to our audiences — even when our building is
We also shared archive recordings of selected
Old Vic productions for free on our YouTube
closed. channel.
Visitors to our digital channels have been entertained, Productions included:
educated and inspired with access to lots of free A Monster Calls, 05–11 Jun
content including our new podcast PlayCrush, Creatives’ Wise Children, 19–26 Jun
Corner with Ella Hickson, who spoke with emerging Mood Music, 14–21 Jul
talent from across different creative disciplines to gain Jekyll & Hyde, 05–12 Aug
an insight into what it means to be working in theatre
The seats in our auditorium have been empty for one of the longest
today and OV Pen Pals, through which we linked up Monologues
periods since the Second World War.
older community groups with primary schools to The Greatest Wealth, available to watch now
Below: A Monster Calls; write each other letters during this period of isolation. Burn, available to watch now
But our theatre has been alive during lockdown, our audiences (old and new) have supported us throughout,
Jekyll & Hyde Remembrance, 09 Nov–14 Dec
and it was impossible to keep live theatre from our iconic stage, even against seemingly insurmountable odds.
We’ve been proud to share our work and free resources on a more accessible and far-reaching scale than ever We have
before, all without the safety net of regular public subsidy and whilst operating with a 90% drop in income. operated with a
90%
drop in income
since March.
OLD VIC: IN CAMERA
In June we launched OLD VIC: IN CAMERA, Live streamed productions have included Duncan
a new artistic initiative of socially distanced Macmillan’s Lungs with Claire Foy and Matt Smith,
performances all streamed live from the iconic Stephen Beresford’s Three Kings with Andrew Scott,
Old Vic stage with the empty auditorium as Brian Friel’s Faith Healer with Michael Sheen,
a backdrop. David Threlfall and Indira Varma, and now our most
PHOTOS: MANUEL HARLAN
ambitious OLD VIC: IN CAMERA production yet,
Through this platform we have rekindled live A Christmas Carol by Jack Thorne, with Andrew Lincoln
performance albeit with minimal staging and accessible as Scrooge, with full cast, staging and costume.
only via camera.
Education Hub Education &
Our Education Hub is a free resource for people of all Community
ages. It features Inside Guides to directing, playwriting
and sound design, filmed theatre workshops, wellbeing Projects
Live streamed Accessed by exercises, working from home study guides and interview
globally from users from preparation workshops. Our outreach work never stopped and our amazing
The Old Vic
stage to 90 Find out more at oldvictheatre.com/education-hub
Education & Community team worked hard to move
the majority of their projects online so we could stay
over countries
around the world.
engaged and share the healing power of art and
creativity during the most difficult times.
33k
homes in
Find out more about these projects at
oldvictheatre.com/join-in
79 countries.
Still to Come
In January we’re showing the recorded versions of the live shows of Lungs and Faith Healer again though
IN CAMERA: PLAYBACK. Visit oldvictheatre.com/playback to book tickets. More OLD VIC: IN CAMERA
productions are being programmed so keep your eyes peeled for announcements in the New Year.
We’re so proud of what we have achieved this year, but if we are to continue to offer live theatre and invaluable
educational and creative experiences as we work towards reopening, we’ll need your help.
PHOTO: MANUEL HARLAN
Please continue donating to support the future of The Old Vic.
Left: OLD VIC: Visit oldvictheatre.com/donate
IN CAMERA —
Faith HealerYou can also read
