Review Round-Up: CHRISTMAS CAROL GOES WRONG at the Apollo Theatre

From the brains behind The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, comes another farcical comedy about the ill-fated Cornley Amateur Drama Society and their attempts to put on A Christmas Carol, amidst miscommunications, delays, missing actors and a fierce fight over who is going to play the lead role. Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, and directed by Matt DiCarlo, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is playing at the Apollo Theatre for seven weeks only following its UK-wide tour.

What are critics saying about Christmas Carol Goes Wrong?

The Guardian

“A Dickensian disaster to savour”

★★★★

Chris Wiegand called the production “a blizzard of bruised egos and expertly timed farce”, particularly enjoyable for “long-term Mischief watchers” who will recognise the oft-used running gags and punchlines. He enjoyed Henry Lewis, Nancy Zamit, and Chris Leask as the actors portraying the three ghosts, particularly the “tricky piece of physical comedy” of Leask in a 10ft tall costume. “​​Some of Roberto Surace’s outfits are as outlandishly amusing as Libby Todd’s set designs,” he wrote. He also commends Matt Cavendish, who “​​pulls off a whirlwind set piece playing five characters on his own.” He concluded, “As the am-dram players’ lines go out of sync or their dialogue doesn’t match what we see, Matt DiCarlo’s production hums with comedic harmony.”

Read the review here.

The Evening Standard

“Dynamite gags and expert slapstick”

★★★★

Nick Curtis thought the show’s “brash, obvious, knockabout humour is laced with moments of lightning-flash wit and invention”. He wrote, “It’s an utterly (but not fussily) democratic show where everyone gets their moment in the sun and all dignity is sacrificed in favour of laughs.” He found “the stage management of the collapsing props and pratfalls impeccable.” He had particular praise for Henry Lewis: “Lewis’s performance may be the defining one of this show.” He thought “the slapstick is expertly handled”, resulting in a chaotically destructive ending. His verdict: “Mischief are probably critic proof by now.”

Read the review here.

TimeOut

“What’s funnier than watching things go wrong?”

★★★★

Anna Ryan thought “while the slapstick and mayhem that ensues is hardly new ground for the company, the endless stream of slip-ups is what we’re here for.” She wrote, “It’s a script that leaves no loose end – every single line has a worthwhile, deliciously funny purpose.” She was a big fan of the humour, commenting “all the usual antics are here”, while “lots of the amusement comes from Chris’ bubbling anger as everything falls apart.” She also enjoyed the “plenty of physical comedy”, declaring, “it’s broad humour, but it’s broad humour at its finest.” Her verdict: “It’s still the sort of stuff best enjoyed with a drink in hand.”

Read the review here.

Photo by Mark Senior.

WhatsOnStage

“An Eber-knees-up in the West End”

★★★★

Alun Hood thought the show brought the same “riotous laughs and cosy familiarity” as its predecessors, and “relentlessly hurls every Yuletide trope at us”. “Even the deliberately tackier elements of Libby Todd’s sets and Roberto Surace’s costumes have a satisfyingly glossy sheen, all gorgeously lit by David Howe,” he wrote. He particularly appreciated how “the writing takes time to set up these flawed individuals as credible people”, which meant “the comic pay-off is so much funnier when it feels like there’s something genuinely at stake for these well-meaning but inept humans.” He also praised the cast: “Sasha Frost excels as ambitious Sandra,” he wrote, while “Zamit is a lovely, sincere stage presence, and Matt Cavendish is a delight as eager Max.” While he felt “not every joke works, and some of them… outstay their welcome”, all in all he found the show to be “an irresistible Christmas treat, and it has real heart too.”

Read the review here.

The Times

“This show will leave you in stitches”

★★★★

Clive Davis thought the production wasn’t “quite as inventive as the recent espionage hit The Comedy About Spies”, but still “stuffed in more than enough immaculately timed slapstick gags to keep the evening bubbling along.” He was full of praise for the cast, especially “Lewis’s magnificently fruity Robert Groves.” He admitted that some of the jokes were predictable, but the running gags remained delightful, evoking a panto-like interactiveness from the audience. “Libby Todd’s set design and Roberto Surace’s costumes are a match for the larger-than-life madness”, he wrote, and DiCarlo as a director is “accomplished”. He concluded, “These actors know how to fail with a flourish.”

Read the review here.

The Telegraph

“Delightfully daft”

★★★

Dominic Cavendish had a more mixed response, writing: “It’s well-crafted, smartly played, undemanding fun – but isn’t the formula wearing a little thin?” Describing the play as “comfort-food entertainment”, he enjoyed “Daniel Fraser’s supercilious, pointedly Scrooge-like director” and Henry Lewis as “his genially roaring rival, a limelight-hogging egotist.” “A lot gets crammed in,” he observed, making note of the multiple and usual running gags: “spotlights crash to the ground and cast-members collide with the scenery.” His conclusion: “The organised chaos and laboured merriment may flag after the interval, but only a genuine Scrooge could emerge unsmiling.”

Read the article here.

The festive season is the perfect time for a trip to the theatre, with plenty of Christmas-themed shows in the West End. If your plans for the holidays include taking your little ones to experience a bit of theatre magic, check out our list of Christmas Shows For Families to help you decide what to see.