A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic Review (2025)
Written by Bronagh for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The ‘C’ word is on our lips earlier and earlier each year. Christmas, of course! The lights are twinkling, Christmas cakes are prepared, and, of course, the Christmas shows have landed. A Christmas Carol is back at the Old Vic, truly bringing the magic of Christmas
A Christmas Carol follows Ebeneezer Scrooge, a bitter and tight-fisted gentleman who doesn’t find much joy in the world whatsoever. A typical miser and misery, he slams the door on charity collectors and won’t let his employee finish work early on Christmas Eve to see his son. This all changes when he is visited by three Ghosts – Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future. In turn, they help Scrooge refocus his vision of the world out there and to rediscover love and generosity, hugely redeeming himself.
The Old Vic is transformed into Dickensian London, the stage in the round with cast members wandering in traditional clothing, offering mince pies and satsumas whilst chatting to audience members. Glowing lights hang from the ceiling, casting a glow across the space. Door frames rise from the floor with characters miming opening, slamming, and locking them with accompanying sound effects. Rob Howell’s effective set design is wonderfully immersive and a joy to be part of.
Paul Hilton’s Scrooge is a complete crowd pleaser, from the moment we meet him until the conclusion. Hilton embodies the mannerisms, the facial expressions, and the rolling of the eyes, really bringing the character of Scrooge to life. We also meet a young version of Scrooge (Connor Wood), who is equally wonderful to watch, from his skipping around as a happy child to a beautiful moment where older Scrooge embraces him. This is just one of many heart-warming moments.
There are some lovely musical elements throughout, with the cast playing various Christmas songs on bells. Hauntingly beautiful, this really captures the Christmas spirit as well as bringing warmth and magic to the vast space within The Old Vic. We start and finish the production with high energy dance routines, starting and ending on such a high.
The last fifteen minutes of this production are perhaps the most memorable – for all the right reasons. It’s time for the Cratchit family Christmas feast, which, of course, requires some scrumptious food. Snow begins to fall as food, anything from sprouts to sausages, is passed from the balcony via a fabric contraption, all with the help of the audience. This added such charm to production, cheeks aching from laughing so much. A major theme of A Christmas Carol is child poverty, something which is still so prevalent today. This isn’t just left as part of the script, with Hilton breaking character at the end, directing audience members on how to donate to help fight poverty.
A Christmas Carol is such a classic; however, this is the first time I have ever seen any adaptation. This was the most wonderful introduction to the production, and one that I won’t forget in a hurry. If you want to feel warm and in the Christmas spirit in time for Mr Claus, then this is not one to miss. The most heartwarming and lovely start to the festive season.
At The Old Vic until 10th January 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
