A Christmas Carol

Director's Notes I Cast & Crew I Gallery I Performances

There will be snow and there will be ghosts, but expect an old tale with a new twist.

Blue Apple presents an innovative new adaptation of the winter classic.

And what better time to redeem oneself than at Christmas?

Welcome to our first piece of theatre in our new artistic year where we are picking away at the idea of ‘reconciliation’. We certainly seem to live in interesting times and in the immediate future we might all need to think about reconciling ourselves with others... Maybe Scrooge’s hard heart can still teach us something after all these years?

There are many people in our story who our ‘Emelina’ Scrooge could (and should) be connected to, who fill the world around her with warmth, heart and humanity - but she remains shut off, isolated, cold, distant. She simply refuses to let love in because, if you do that, you might get hurt.

We hope that you won’t mind us tinkering with the gender of our anti-hero (heroine). The more I thought about this possibility the more I thought it had an extra resonance, with something different to say. A man might pursue business at the cost of marriage but for some women that might also mean it is at the price of motherhood – a cost too high for many people.

The ghosts who visit Emelina point out to her that her actions are merely repeating something she first saw in her father when she was a girl - she will be doomed if she continues but redeemed if she turns her back on her old ways. And what better time to redeem oneself than at Christmas?

Perhaps what Scrooge learns is that pain is the price we pay for joy, but we hope there will be much more joy than pain here tonight.

We thank you for braving the winter’s cold to spend an evening with us.

Richard Conlon
Director

Cast & Crew

Emelina Scrooge - Katy Francis
Child Scrooge - Emma Wolff
Young Scrooge - Katie Appleford
Bystanders - Neil Bennet, Ashley Sale
Bob Cratchit - James Benfield
Nephew Fred - Sam Dace
Charity Collectors - Lawrie Morris, Neil White
Marley - Tommy Jessop
Ghost Of Christmas Past - Ros Davies
Fan - Amy Britt
Fezziwig - Paul Smith
Bill - Ashley Sale
Bill’s Wife - Alice Peck
Ghost Of Christmas Present - Tom Hatchett
Emily Cratchit - Anna Brisbane
Martha Cratchit - Andrew Malster
Tim Cratchit - Daniel Austin
Cratchit Family & Friends - James Smith, Dan Chopra, Ryan Nicholas, Jonny Ling, Emma Rabjohn, Lucy Thomas, Rachel Collins
Fred’s Wife - Amy Britt
Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come - David Hunt
Business People - Tommy Jessop, Ros Davies, Neil White
Cleaner, Laundress, Charwoman - Ellie Moody, Katie Appleford, Katie Cole
Shady Crooks - James Elsworthy, Jossie Kirby, Paul Smith
Couple In Debt - Lucy Parrott, Lawrie Morris
Ensemble - Chris Pearce, Michelle Pluck, Sue Dashper

Director - Richard Conlon
Live Music - Matt Tarling
Puppets & Performance Support - Nigel Luck
‘Marley’ Video - Laure Walton
Choreography - Amanda Watkinson
Production & Stage Management - Paul Milford
Set Design & Construction - Mark Pyke
Lighting Design - Paul Milford
Projection Design - Amber Tunstall
Costumes - Polly Perry
Singing Support - Clare Talks
Lead Rehearsal Room Assistant - Michelle Pluck
Lead Performer Support - Chris Pearce
Blue Apple Volunteers - Chris Pearce, Sue Dashper, Laura Walton, Michelle Pluck, Rachel Collins
Winchester College Volunteers - Freddie Byers, Conrad Khakhria, Seb Longman, John Julius Schwabach, Felipe Byers, Joseph Huh, Olayele Aluko, Jan Bachowski, Jin Li Felipe
Graphic Design - Richard Williams
Photography - Mike Hall
Front Cover Image - Simon Morris
Printing - Diguru Limited