An Edinburgh Christmas Carol Lyeum Theatre 7th December Review 2022
An Edinburgh Christmas Carol returns to the Lyceum Edinburgh stage this year (24 Nov – 31 Dec) and as last time round, this show was tonight a big hit with the audience. This show takes the ever popular “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and merges it with one of Edinburgh’s favourite stories, that of Greyfriars Bobby. The combination of these two tales plus some skilful writing, interesting characters and local history facts seamlessly merge into what is a very “Edinburgh Christmas” story.
There is something very special about Ebenezer Scrooge that we always seem to enjoy no matter how many times his story is told. Perhaps it is his eventual, almost spiritual redemption or maybe it is just that Scrooge often says what we all think at times but are too afraid to speak out aloud. Whatever the reasons, this story as always rises or falls upon who is cast in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, and Crawford Logan just seems perfectly cast here with that ability to be the worst of Scrooge and the best of Scrooge, but always with a light enough touch that we, the audience, always seem to love him. Just as important, it is obvious that Crawford Logan is enjoying playing this role and although we all know of the three visitors that Scrooge will meet this night, “An Edinburgh Christmas Carol” has found some new and interesting ways to tweak the stories a little.
One of the reasons this story always works so well is the counterbalance to Scrooge’s meanness of spirit, his overworked and underpaid employee Rab Cratchit, and Richard Conlon is very good in this (and other roles). That much needed chemistry, that constant shift between lightness and darkness of spirits is always here between Richard Conlon and Crawford Logan, and watching the two of them so often underplay this little bit of “Christmas Magic” was a pleasure to watch.
With this production writer/director Tony Cownie, assistant director Sam Hardie and designer Neil Murray have, with a very good cast, created a work that is full of humour and warmth. In the process they have also created a show that is suitable for all the family and people of all ages to enjoy together, and that is not happening enough these days in theatre. There are also some very innovative approaches to telling this story and the approach to Tiny Tim’s character is unique, but I am saying no more just in case you have not seen this production yet. It was also interesting to watch this evening how even now in a world of endless CGI film, TV and animation, old fashioned stage theatre “tricks” can still engage a young audience.
There is of course a final twist to this year’s story as when this production was being planned, I doubt if anyone could have foreseen that the homelessness, poverty and in particular fuel poverty of Victorian Britain would have been resonating so clearly with Christmas Day in 2022.
Review by Tom King © 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
There is something very special about Ebenezer Scrooge that we always seem to enjoy no matter how many times his story is told. Perhaps it is his eventual, almost spiritual redemption or maybe it is just that Scrooge often says what we all think at times but are too afraid to speak out aloud. Whatever the reasons, this story as always rises or falls upon who is cast in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, and Crawford Logan just seems perfectly cast here with that ability to be the worst of Scrooge and the best of Scrooge, but always with a light enough touch that we, the audience, always seem to love him. Just as important, it is obvious that Crawford Logan is enjoying playing this role and although we all know of the three visitors that Scrooge will meet this night, “An Edinburgh Christmas Carol” has found some new and interesting ways to tweak the stories a little.
One of the reasons this story always works so well is the counterbalance to Scrooge’s meanness of spirit, his overworked and underpaid employee Rab Cratchit, and Richard Conlon is very good in this (and other roles). That much needed chemistry, that constant shift between lightness and darkness of spirits is always here between Richard Conlon and Crawford Logan, and watching the two of them so often underplay this little bit of “Christmas Magic” was a pleasure to watch.
With this production writer/director Tony Cownie, assistant director Sam Hardie and designer Neil Murray have, with a very good cast, created a work that is full of humour and warmth. In the process they have also created a show that is suitable for all the family and people of all ages to enjoy together, and that is not happening enough these days in theatre. There are also some very innovative approaches to telling this story and the approach to Tiny Tim’s character is unique, but I am saying no more just in case you have not seen this production yet. It was also interesting to watch this evening how even now in a world of endless CGI film, TV and animation, old fashioned stage theatre “tricks” can still engage a young audience.
There is of course a final twist to this year’s story as when this production was being planned, I doubt if anyone could have foreseen that the homelessness, poverty and in particular fuel poverty of Victorian Britain would have been resonating so clearly with Christmas Day in 2022.
Review by Tom King © 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com