Hot on the heels of the cinematic release of the Nottingham Playhouse production of Mark Gatiss’s retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story, this week the BBC announced, that the adaptation will be part of their 2022 Christmas schedule.
The acclaimed production, which was directed by Adam Penford, premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in November last year before transferring for a run at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre, where it was filmed in front of a live audience. The film version was released nationwide to UK cinemas this November and will be shown on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer over the Christmas period.
Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Doctor Who) stars as Jacob Marley alongside Nicholas Farrell (Chariots of Fire, The Crown, The Iron Lady) as Scrooge.
This powerful tale of life, love, loss and redemption is as relevant today as when it was first published 179 years ago.
It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge has an unexpected visit from the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley. Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn’t too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face three more eerie encounters…
Adam Penford said: “To be part of the BBC Christmas line up is a first for Nottingham Playhouse and something we’re incredibly proud of. This is the third time we’ve collaborated with Mark Gatiss at the Playhouse and he always creates something innovative, theatrical and popular with audiences. Last autumn was a complicated time to be making theatre, with the arrival of the Omicron variant, and that we not only managed to mount this large production, but then capture it on camera, is a testament to the dedication of the cast, creatives, backstage team, and Playhouse workforce.”
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story is a Nottingham Playhouse production presented by Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Fiery Angel, Trafalgar Releasing, Eilene Davidson Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions (1 x 106’) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. Adapted by Mark Gatiss. The Director is Adam Penford. The Commissioning Editor for BBC Arts is Emma Cahusac.
-ENDS-
CAST
| Ebenezer Scrooge | Nicholas Farrell |
| Jacob Marley | Mark Gatiss |
| Fred | James Backway |
| Caroline | Angelina Chudi |
| Ghost of Christmas Past | Joni Ayton-Kent |
| Tiny Tim | Zak Ford-Williams |
| Belle | Aoife Gaston |
| Narrator | Christopher Godwin |
| Bob Cratchit | Edward Harrison |
| Mrs Cratchit | Sarah Ridgeway |
| Ghost of Christmas Present | Joe Shire |
| Edwin Cratchit | Kaylenn Aires Fonseca |
| Edwin Cratchit | Sonny Fowler |
| Grace Cratchit | Eilah Jaffar |
| Grace Cratchit | Evie Miller |
| Grace Cratchit | Jasmine Nyenya |
| Edwin Cratchit | Xavier Wilkins |
Nottingham Playhouse is dedicated to making bold and thrilling theatre in the heart of Nottingham and was named Regional Theatre of the Year in The Stage Awards 2019. In 2021, both Chief Executive Stephanie Sirr and Artistic Director Adam Penford featured in The Stage’s 100 and Stephanie Sirr was awarded the MBE for Services to Theatre in 2022.
Following two years of closure and disruption due to Covid, in which the theatre faced the challenge by creating new work and moving to digital platforms, Nottingham Playhouse reopened its doors in summer 2021 with an acclaimed production of Pam Gems’ Piaf, starring Jenna Russell in the title role, Mark Gatiss’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which completely sold out and transferred to The Alexandra Palace Theatre for a six-week run. This year the theatre has continued its triumphant return with a critically praised stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, which subsequently toured to venues across the country, Caroline Bird’s Red Ellen, the world premieres of Nathaniel Price’s First Touch, Styles and Drewe’s new musical Identical and packed houses for Adrian Scarborough’s adaptation of Alan Bennett’s The Clothes They Stood Up In. 2022 culminates with the legendary Playhouse Panto which this year is Dick Whittington.
Following The Beekeeper of Aleppo, spring 2023 sees Samson Hawkins’s Village Idiot, a touring co-production between Nottingham Playhouse, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Ramps on the Moon, originally commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse.
Nottingham Playhouse believes that theatre should be accessible to everyone. Its Encore sessions created 2,240 engagements with over 50s in the past year and the Playhouse has continued to reach out to Nottingham’s communities, including young people and those who are at risk of being isolated or marginalised. Its Amplify programme – which seeks to inspire and support theatre-makers from the East Midlands – offers one-to-one sessions, panel discussions, open call outs and podcasts.
Nottingham Playhouse Trust Ltd relies on ticket sales for 75% of its income and continues to fundraise through its Curtain Up appeal. It is a registered charity (no. 1109342). https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/