A Christmas Carol - The Old Vic

Time for another Theatre Board poll? Which do you prefer 🐵 or 🐻?

On a more serious note, at what point in the show are the mince pies dished out at the Old Vic and is there a limit on how many you can take? 

Most excellent, probably my favourite Scrooge of the three.

Damn the dusty environs, got something in my eye once again.

Did it a bit too much on the mince pies, bagged two packs on entry not realising they were packed in pairs.

I have tickets (thanks to a member on here...) and will be revisiting in January. It's heartwarming to see the same sorts of reviews of this years production as we've seen previously, I was a bit worried at the poster I see everywhere which displays a bunch of 4 star reviews, when this has been pretty much perfect two years in a row. And I'll be pleased to get involved with the "how many mince pies can you convince an actor to give you" challenge.

Saw this last Saturday from Row T (conventional stalls). I think it proves that WHERE YOU SIT influences your enjoyment of this sort of show.

Look, it’s a wonderful production. Patterson Joseph is superb as Scrooge. The music is sublime.

But from my seat in Row T? Something was missing. I didn’t FEEL it this time.

The reasons?

Too distant from the action. The stage stalls are the seats to choose for this production.

No interaction with the feast.

No snow. I can’t tell you how dismayed I was to see the snow JUST miss our row. Yes, it’s something akin to childlike wonder, but the snow blizzard is a vital part to this show. To watch others experience it but not yourself does not cut it.

It’s a great show, but choose your seats wisely.

Incidentally, I noticed a sign in the downstairs bar displaying the mince pie ingredients. Which is great. But why not around the stalls and foyer? They may contain nuts, and so my instinct to avoid them each year was indeed right.

Saw this for the first time over Xmas. Loved it. Patterson Joseph really excellent and it’s brilliantly directed by Matthew Warchus - he is one of our best main stage directors, I remember his RSC work years ago being very good. In addition to everything else I liked the version, not softened at all for a piece some people (wrongly) think is mainly for children - just a full-on Victorian morality tale with elements of melodrama and acted accordingly.

Knew you'd like it!  Glad you took all the hints on this forum and booked!

My mum was addicted to Nick Nick - Roger Rees and co.  Sadly I wasn't quite old enough for the theatre back then but have seen the recording.  Seem to recall the RSC repurposed a similar look/feel for A Midsummer Night's Dream (with John Carlisle/Richard McCabe) and The Beggar's Opera (with David Burt).

Watching this tomorrow night. First time seeing this production. I just hope there are plenty of mince pies and satsumas available! After the positive reports from board members who have seen it, I’m certainly looking forward to it.

Every now and then you go and watch a production that ticks all the boxes (casting, staging, lighting, sound design and wardrobe) to create a perfect night at the theatre. For me, this was one of those productions. Having heard rave reviews from board members from previous productions of this classic novel, I decided to see what was generating a big buzz. After a truly wonderful 2 hours sat stage side at the Old Vic tonight this gets a big 5⭐️ from me as well as a standing ovation at the end. Walking out of the theatre at the end, the only question I was asking myself was why I haven’t seen this production earlier and in previous years. I’m just glad I booked for this and it certainly banished those new year blues and warms the heart walking out of the Old Vic.

Sat in J17 (thanks to a ticket offer posted by @theatremonkey) in the stalls this was a great seat from which to see the show. It also had the benefit of being next to the mince pies and satsuma stash. Obviously, for quality control purposes, I did sample the goods pre-show and very nice they were too (I had to sample both in order to maintain a balanced diet of course)! The seat also gave me the opportunity to shake hands with Paterson Joseph towards the end of the show.

The staging was incredibly simple but really effective. I loved the lanterns suspended from the ceiling. The feast scene at the end was just so much fun, particularly how the turkey arrives! The snow effects were just magical and I managed to get covered twice with the snow and look like Frosty the snowman by the end.

The sound design was just out of this world. The pre show singing to the bell ringing at the end really was beautiful to listen to.

Casting wise, Paterson Joseph was really a joy to watch as Scrooge as he took this classic Dickens character on a journey of self discovery. The other cast were just as great and I really couldn’t fault any of their performances.

So my partner hates A Christmas Carol and I try not to see too many of them during the festive period (one of my friends and bloggers is a superfan so if any review opportunities come up I send her) . Whilst I do like Rhys Ifans and Stephen Tomkinson I would quite like to marry Paterson Joseph so that swung it for me.

And it's over. For another ten months at least. A lovely final performance by the best ensemble so far and (in my view) an award-winning Scrooge in Paterson Joseph. What a fine, fine actor.