Halle Brown stars in the European Premiere of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol – A New Musical at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall from 8 December 2022 to 8 January 2023. Extra performances have been added on 22 and 29 December due to popular demand.
‘Cold Feet’ and ‘Toast of London’ star Robert Bathurst will lead the cast as Scrooge. He is joined by Halle Brown, Iona Fraser, Richard J Hunt, Vicki Lee Taylor, Olivier Award winner George Maguire, Ediz Mahmut, Sarah O’Connor, Christopher Parkinson, Minal Patel, Annie Southall, Carole Stennett, Danny Whitehead and Mitchell Zhangazha. Playing the role of Tiny Tim will be Daniel Lee, Alexander Quinlan and Samuel Sturge.
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is an adaptation by David H. Bell, Paul T. Couch and Curt Wollan. The book is by David H. Bell with music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton.
You’re appearing in Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol at the Southbank Centre, how would you describe the show?
The show is a different but incredible version of A Christmas Carol. It has Dolly’s music in it which ties the show together beautifully. It shows Scrooge’s life, with a Tennessee twist which is amazing. It’s so enjoyable to watch, and such a fun version.
What was it about this musical version of A Christmas Carol that made you want to be a part of it?
I love Dolly, so much, she’s incredible and an amazing woman! Anything she is involved in at all, I want to be a part of.
Do you think audiences will appreciate having the opportunity to see a different version of the story this Christmas?
I think it will be so cool, there are so many versions of A Christmas Carol and we see it every year, but I think this version is a really new, different and exciting adaptation of it. It’s not quite how you’d assume A Christmas Carol would be, and Dolly’s songs make it so much fun.
Audiences will already know Dolly Parton’s music as a recording artist, but what can they expect from Dolly’s music in this musical?
I think it’s going to be completely different from what people have heard Dolly do before, but also in many ways really similar and familiar. The songs are so catchy, I can’t get them out of my head, and I think people will be going home singing them, and it’s just going to be so much fun!
Tell us a little more about your character and what you’re enjoying most about the role?
Sadie was Scrooge’s crush when he was younger, and without giving too much away, she is an independent woman who knows what she wants, and she likes Scrooge but she has seen what the town as done to people and how if they don’t go for what they want they can get stuck.
So that changes the course of the relationship, and she’s a brilliant character. Scrooge being able to go back and see her is a really important part of the show, and for his character.
You graduated earlier this year, and have already performed at The National, how does it feel to be working on these prestigious productions so early in your career?
It feels incredible. I graduated from Arts Ed after an amazing three years there, and I loved being at The National and made some wonderful friends there who I still see all the time. I love being a part of things because of the people that you meet and the things that you learn from all the different people from different walks of life.
How do you think you and your cast mates will keep up the Christmas spirit off-stage while performing over the festive season?
I think loads of Christmas music, probably Secret Santa and I’ve heard there’s a baker in the cast so hopefully lots of Christmas treats and loads of decorations and mad Christmas jumpers!
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking tickets to Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol?
Come. It’s going to be hilarious. You’re going to love the music and I’m going to love performing it for you!
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