If the title hadn’t already given it away, Dickens this ain’t – but there is an odd sort of Christmas spirit in this rude and reworked version of his festive tale.
Ebeneezer has become Eloisa (played by Rachel Hudson-Fletcher), an unscrupulous property magnate who works her diligent clerk Bobbi Cratchit (Teleri Hughes) hard – even on Christmas Eve.
Bobbi is married to Emily (Charlie Bryant), and in place of Tiny Tim we get a set of quadruplets all called Will – also played by Bryant who, as acknowledged by Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper’s theatrically-aware script, mops other several other bit parts.
The Spirits of Christmas are all embodied by Joshua Coley, wearing a series of quilted gilets and bringing a gallon-load of camp. Even though Hughes acts as an occasional narrator, it is Coley that really dominates, with some manic slapstick moments.
It’s a sweary, sarky, swaggering production that wears its “LGBT etc whatever” credentials happily on its sleeves and takes a fluid approach to the actor / audience relationship too.
But its modernity, and particularly the twist to the ending, is in some ways its weakest part. Classic stories are classic for a reason – and unless you’re the Muppets its pretty had to improve on Dickens’ spooky morality tale.
For those less enchanted with the original, this is an entertaining 75 minutes – particularly the obscene update to the school playground tradition of alternative carol lyrics. Back then we had the three kings in a taxi, a car, and on a scooter – I don’t remember any of our reworkings mentioning Grindr.
Ghosted: Another F**ing Christmas Carol continues at Norwich Theatre Playhouse until 21 December 2025.
