Review: A Christmas Carol at Octagon Theatre

“…a spirit that is infectious and truly joyful – it is a little gem of a show…”

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens adapted by Kate Ferguson & Susannah Pearse, Octagon Theatre

By Hannah Molyneux

With a flurry of snow and swathes of tinsel, A Christmas Carol bursts into life. From its opening moments, this show is sparkly and shiny – it is consistently visually exciting with always something to draw the eye. Director Sarah Tipple’s reimagining of this classic Christmas tale uses a mix of themes and styles intended, as she notes in the programme, to honour the time in which it was written while also looking forward to the world as it is today. The effect is that of a rather peculiar fantasy world in which nightcaps, Christmas jumpers, gruel, and electric guitars all coincide, but the overall impression is so captivating that we accept these without much complaint.

This clash of periods notwithstanding, Hannah Wolfe’s costume design adds a lavish, textural element to the performance, bringing colour and interest and hinging on clever changes that allow the cast to morph seamlessly into different characters from one scene to the next. It’s the lighting design by Simeon Miller, however, that really steals the show. From momentous shifts in mood to delicate touches with lanterns and fairy lights, the lighting not only signposts the audience towards the action but fosters a great deal of the emotion too. At times big and bright and at others soft and subtle, this is where so much of the Christmas spirit of the piece lies.

The story of A Christmas Carol is told by a small but sweet ensemble of five adults and two children, who deserve special mention for their wonderful stage presence. The cast as a whole are energetic and engaging and have the audience firmly on their side, enough even to have us joining in the dancing at Fezziwig’s Christmas party. David Birrell’s Scrooge leads the cast compellingly, with Javert-like authority and a dry humour that returns levity to some of the more foreboding moments. William Donaldson’s Jacob Marley oozes threat, his movements in particular making him seem genuinely creepy and ominous. Hannah Brown, as the ghost of Christmas Past, exudes grace and charm, while Lucy Keirl’s ghost of Christmas Present is a burst of Christmas fun and excitement. Across the board, they deliver strong vocal performances, with Conor Neaves’ heartfelt solo as Scrooge’s nephew Fred an especially powerful moment. The whole show revolves around musical themes and ideas that return in different guises, creating a pleasingly homogeneous sound world that really anchors us in the story. It arguably misses a live band, which would possibly have contributed an extra layer of authenticity and emotion to the musical numbers, but nonetheless it is successful as a musical, reminding us that even serious, Dickensian stories can pause for a song dedicated to puddings.

Ultimately, this production portrays, in a spectacular way, the themes that allow this story to prevail more than a hundred years after its creation. It speaks to our ideas of living in the present, of enjoying the moment we are in without wishing away to the next, and prizing people and presence over presents. We can also hear echoes of today’s society in the many references to community and for caring for those who live alongside us – Scrooge’s “are there no prisons?” is not a sentiment left in the past but one that we also recognise in certain sectors of our own place and time. This is not a show that sets out specifically to challenge societal issues, but in allowing us to witness Scrooge’s redemption, we come away with a little Christmas hope for ourselves too. A Christmas Carol has a spirit that is infectious and truly joyful – it is a little gem of a show, a slice of festive frivolity that leaves it audience with warm hearts and smiles on their faces.

A Christmas Carol plays at Octagon Theatre until Saturday 10 January 2026. Tickets are available here.

Hannah Molyneux is a proudly Mancunian writer and musician whose day job revolves around community engagement. She is passionate about community arts and the huge benefits they have for people and places. Hannah can most often be found enjoying the great outdoors or optimistically crafting with her children. You can read more of her writing here. You can find her on Instagram here.