Christmas Carol Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre Review

By fully controlling every element of the creative process from start to finish, Mischief have made themselves the pre-eminent force in farce in theatre today. This starts with the writing team (Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields) who possess a fluidity in their humour and delivery which is borne of knowing and working together for so long. They know what works, they know their audience and they definitely know what the theatre market is clamouring for in these often dark and uncertain times. As a consequence, their product is almost critic-proof and Teflon-coated, to the extent that they even managed to find a moment during the show to playfully incorporate the amateur dramatic society’s cast’s excitement and anticipation at the news that a reviewer from the local Cornley Gazette, would be attending the opening of their show. Cue plenty of playful digs at the real critics in attendance at the Apollo with whom the creative team have built a solid and mutually respectful rapport over the years.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong production image. Photo by Mark Senior

Under globe-trotting Matt DiCarlo’s mellifluous direction, at the start of the show, we witness a succession of hopelessly inept candidates audition for Chris (Daniel Fraser) who seems hell-bent on directing the show and snaffling the role of Scrooge himself. As each individual reveals one, or a multitude of reasons why they shouldn’t be cast, Annie (Nancy Zamit) buoys them up with her irrepressible enthusiasm for their effort as her list of prospective auditionees gradually dwindles. Ultimately, to ensure all parts are played, everyone who has been rejected is subsequently asked to join the company - including several in multiple roles, despite an inability to learn lines, work at height or be in the right place at the right time. Apart from writers performing, other cast members include Max (Matt Cavendish), Sandra (Sasha Frost), Trevor (Chris Leask), Jonathan (Greg Tannahill)

Every key moment in Dickens’ original story finds its place in the show, whilst every conceivable mishap and element of mayhem is fused into the storyline in a non-stop and impeccably delivered cacophony of comic capers and chaos. Real life lessons about working together and mutual respect find their way into the narrative and even the most sinister of puppets gets to eat Malteasers and have a moment in the spotlight!

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong plays at Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue until 26th January, before touring around the country.