Attending a show that was previously cancelled halfway for the second time feels like revisiting your own past life. While you retain all your memories and knowledge, you hold no idea what lies ahead.
This is what happened to A Christmas Carol(ish), Nick Mohammed’s comedic retelling Charles Dickens’ classic. On the press night, there was a persistent power/technical issue that eventually halted the show. A one-night entertainment became tantalising series after Santa (Nick Mohammed) cancels Christmas on Christmas Eve and is thus visited by three ghosts aiming to help him rediscover the festive magic.
Directed by Matt Peover, the production stars Martha Howe-Douglas (as Rochelle) from Ghosts, David Elms (as Mr. Goldsworth) from Borderline, and Kieran Hodgson (as Jonathan) from Two Doors Down. As a panto, it clearly delivers an abundance of festive chaos and holiday cheer, spiced by many meta-theatrical moments self-referring the showbiz industry per se. The show features songs composed by Oliver Birch with lyrics by Mohammed, including a hilarious of parody “Silent Night” that even summons God, a showbiz agent in this universe.
Nick Mohammed is phenomenal, not only as his eccentric alter ego Mr. Swallow, the high-pitched showman with a northern accent inspired by his middle school English teacher, but also demonstrates exceptional physicality your barely see. To ensure that you can still have the first-hand spectacle experience, I won’t spoil it for you just yet. As Mohammed’s long-suffering partner, Elms faithfully reprises the nanny-like Mr. Goldsworth, balancing Mr Swallow’s overtly chaotic energy.
Howe-Douglas’s portrayal of Rochelle equally triumphs as a hilariously ambitious elf, always waiting for a cast call from West End hit shows. She is especially glamorous in the second half with her solo “Satan Baby” that transforms Sohoplace into an 80’s disco hall. Unexpectedly, Hodgson is extremely funny as Jonathan in Mr Swallow’s crew and the perpetually starving reindeer of Santa. He successfully captures the nuances of the character you know you should pity, yet instinctively can’t help but laugh out loud.
Fly Davis’s stage set design features a wall of stacked wooden crates and chests of varied sizes and shapes, interspersed with tiny little “bird nests”. This is Santa’s Christmas present factory that may remind you of Ollivander’s Wand Shop. Magic and surprises – they are in a way quite similar, aren’t they? Richard Howell’s neon lighting design defines a festive proscenium. With the magic of lighting, those bird nests become households expecting the presents and festive happiness.
Reinventing Dickens, A Christmas Carol(ish) mingles songs, jokes, gags and incredible physicality. Don’t worry, it’s not an adult panto. Instead, it is perfectly fine to bring your kids – as well as your 90-years old granny!
Listings and ticket information can be found here
