Christmas Carol Goes Wrong at Apollo Theatre Review
Written by Annie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Having celebrated over 10 years in the West End, Mischief are back with their latest parody play, this time taking on Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic - A Christmas Carol. As with any Mischief production, you really don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, but you can be confident that you’ll leave grinning from ear to ear, and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is no exception to the rule.
Following the Cornley Amateur Drama Society yet again, the group set to take on their latest production for the festive season, and it’s fair to say the team are yet to learn from their past mistakes. Chris Bean (Daneil Fraser) is at the helm of the company, futilely attempting to bring order and professionalism to the cast of bandits. His poised and serious demeanour still renders him incapable of controlling the group, and his slow breakdown across the play adds another layer of hilarity to the show.
Starting with the auditions for the show, we are reintroduced to the lovable yet incapable company. What Mischief manages so wonderfully is playing into theatrical stereotypes, but so authentically, each character feels like a genuine person without being over the top. This ensures the plays feel realistic and the “accidental chaos” feels like it is happening in real time, despite hours of slick rehearsing.
The company is unable to even make it through a committee meeting without damaging or ruining something, and it brilliantly sets up the audience for the play within the play to begin. Admittedly, this is the first mischief production where you can perhaps preempt some of the gimmicks, yet regardless, they don’t fail to make you cackle with laughter. The shadow box of the set design is crumpled quickly and “reconstructed” by the company behind Chris’s back, and although you, as the audience, know what’s coming, the execution is so ridiculous that the auditorium is filled with laughter.
Libby Todd masterfully brings the set to life, encapsulating the classic world of Dickens’ classic, mixed with Mischief’s madness - it is hilariously ridiculous. David Howe’s lighting design is wonderfully technicolored, adding further chaos to the play. Roberto Surace’s costumes bring the story to life, with many genius additions to create further hilarity. From the smallest details right up to larger-than-life dolls, the creative team brings the Mischief magic to life in ways you couldn’t even imagine.
Matt Cavendish performs the entire ensemble cast of the show, with brilliant comedic timing; Henry Lewis is as masterful as ever as the ghost of Christmas Present, and Jonathan Sayer returns as the ditsy Dennis. Sasha Frost is the over the top Sandra, and Nancy Zamit hilariously aids the cast as the team favourite Annie. The cast works so excellently together, playing off one another and allowing each other to shine. It’s what makes the Mischief shows such a constant joy; they are a result of incredible teamwork.
Self acclaimed as the worst production in Christmas past, present, and yet to come, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is a masterclass in spoof comedy. The script is as slick as ever, the cast is wonderfully eccentric, and the direction from Matt Dicarlo brings the absurd vision to life in the most magical of ways.
It’s no secret that Mischief has quickly become true legends of the West End by now, continuing to provide audiences with belly-aching laughter from their shows, and there’s no doubt that “Christmas Carol Goes Wrong” lives up to high expectations. Mischief’s latest offering is the festive watch of the season, guaranteed to bring joy and mischief to everyone in the audience.
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong plays at the Apollo Theatre until 26th January before embarking on a national tour until March 2026, so be quick to get tickets so not miss this genius disaster play.
★★★★★
