Leeds Playhouse has built an undeniable reputation for its festive storytelling, and, with Yorkshire warmth at its core, this year’s A Christmas Carol continues that tradition.
Deborah McAndrew’s bold and gritty adaptation of Dickens’ beloved novella offers a fresh take that honours the original’s moral spine while opening up new emotional territory, rooted firmly in the region’s grit, resilience and heart.
A Christmas Carol is at Leeds Playhouse from Thursday 20 November to Saturday 17 January.
At the centre of this production stands Reece Dinsdale as our Ebenezer Scrooge – no stranger to the Playhouse, following his portrayal in Through it all Together earlier this year. He returns with a performance that is nuanced, skilful and deeply human.
His Scrooge may be deemed the villain but he is not evil, he is a man shaped by hardened habits and past wounds, and this distinction is vital and felt deeply as the performance concluded. It’s a finale that, without spoiler, evoked unmistakable tears across the auditorium, and not a single one felt unearned.
The production unveils Scrooge’s world through Hayley Grindle’s striking industrial set; a cold, concrete landscape bathed in harsh lighting that captured the unforgiving chill of the Dickensian era. Yet within this stark environment, director Amy Leach offers bursts of warmth and wonder. Her command of storytelling is evident from the opening number: a mechanical, reimagined performance of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’. The vision is clear – Leach balances spectacle with sincerity, ensuring that even the most theatrical moments were never overshadowed by the lingering emotional truth at the heart of the story.
A defining feature of this production is its seamless integration of British Sign Language throughout. Rather than an addition, BSL becomes the heartbeat of the play, expanding its impact and deepening the emotional resonance. Stephen Collins and Nadia Nadarajah, as Mr and Mrs Cratchit, exemplify how powerfully this choice enhances character. Their partnership is beautifully pitched: opposites in temperament, yet united in love and endurance. Nadarajah’s speech about the ‘founder of the feast’ was a particular highlight, delivered with a passion that ignited the stage.
The ensemble’s versatility is another triumph. Multi-rolling is handled with remarkable precision, allowing actors to shift identities, energies and physicalities, without ever jeopardising the storytelling. The quick changes are elevated by Grindle’s imaginative costuming, offering us elegant gowns to ingenious visual tricks, the design team ensures the production remains consistently vibrant.
And as Scrooge undertakes a night like no other, each of the three spirits offers a distinct and memorable presence. Bea Glancy’s Ghost of Christmas Past is ethereal, a light-footed presence, contrasting sharply with the darker memories she unveils. Her illuminated costume adds an angelic glow that feels both delicate and haunting.
In the second act, Claudia Kariuki’s Ghost of Christmas Present bursts onto the stage in a vivid green flourish, surrounded by dancing decorations and the appearance from the big man himself! Kariuki also doubles delightfully as Mrs Fezziwig, providing one of the production’s most joyful interludes.
Throughout the production, a giant clock hangs, ever-watching, a simple yet profoundly effective reminder of time’s relentlessness. It becomes a metaphor not only for Scrooge’s dwindling opportunity but for our own. This encourages reflection: what choices do we have left to make, and what might we yet change before our own personal clock runs out?
Whilst these serious themes feel all consuming at times, lightness can be found in unexpected corners. Humour, hope and warmth finds its place and pierces through the gloom, enabling the play to still feel like a celebration – joy that is being fought for by each of Scrooge’s acquaintances. This empowered Leeds Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol to feel both timeless and timely; it reminds us that redemption can be found in each small act of kindness, and that even the coldest of winters can be melted by the sincerity of human connection.
This is a production crafted with inclusivity and imagination, if you’re searching for a festive outing to thaw the frostiest of December nights, look no further. Leeds Playhouse delivers a Christmas classic, you’ll be leaving with no humbug in sight.
A Christmas Carol is at Leeds Playhouse until Saturday 17 January. Tickets start from £16.50 and are available here.
