McScrooge
★★★★☆ Beautiful adaptation
Assembly Roxy: Thu 14 Nov 2024
Review by Allan Wilson, 14 Nov 2024
McScrooge by Alan Mountford and Leith’s Citadel Arts Group for the Scottish Dementia Arts Festival is a beautiful adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, designed to meet the particular needs of its audience, while retaining the key elements of the original novella.
Rather than faithfully following Dickens with a show similar to Guy Masterson’s A Christmas Carol (which returns to the Roxy in December), the Citadel production follows the example of The Lyceum’s An Edinburgh Christmas Carol by transferring the main action to the Ebenezer McScrooge Care Home in Edinburgh and using a puppet, created by Freda O’Byrne, to represent Tiny Tim.
Mark Kydd, James Bryce and Ashley Barlow with Tiny Tim. Pic: Liz Hare.
More importantly, Citadel go ‘full panto’ by encouraging audience participation, the occasional song and bringing in many of the key tropes of the modern pantomime. The audience are encouraged to regularly ‘boo’ McScrooge, to the obvious relish of James Bryce, who is splendid in the role.
There are shouts of ‘Behind you!’ as the chained ghost of Jacob McMarley creeps up behind McScrooge, while Moira McIntosh (one of a number of parts played by Ashley Barlow), a resident described as a troublemaker by McScrooge, attracts shouts of ‘Oh no, she’s not!’ countered with his time-honoured ‘Oh yes, she is!’.
sympathetic
In another change from tradition, Tiny Tim, is no longer the son of Bob Cratchit, but of Marge, who works in the kitchen of the home, until she is given her jotters by McScrooge after asking for a pay rise. Marge is the main role taken by Ashley Barlow, who portrays her as a sympathetic character, struggling with the cost of living.
James Bryce, Tiny Tim and Ashley Barlow. Pic: Liz Hare.
Marge takes a lead in encouraging audience participation, stepping off the stage to walk from table to table, introducing Tim, with sensitivity. Rather than abandoning the traditional Sweetie Shower, as too many modern pantos have done in the name of Health and Safety, she again leaves the stage – this time to hand round a box of Celebrations.
Mark Kydd also takes on a range of parts, including a slightly diminished Bob Cratchit, seen primarily as a somewhat reluctant assistant to McScrooge, without reference to his family.
Kydd clearly enjoys playing the various ghosts that come to haunt McScrooge on Christmas Night, from the chain-rattling Jacob McMarley, warning McScrooge of the need to change his ways, through the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, to a sinister, silent Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in a black cloak and hood.
Feel the Noize
Kydd’s interpretation of the Ghost of Christmas Past as a re-incarnation from the 1970s of Noddy Holder (of Slade fame), complete with curly wig, Afghan coat and tartan trousers, brings a few smiles of recognition from the audience. Although the ghosts are all dressed very differently, McScrooge notices that they all look very similar, leading Kydd to quip, “We could only afford one actor.”
The multi-tasking Mark Kydd as McMarley, The Ghost of Christmas Past and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Pic: Liz Hare.
In addition to playing five parts, Mark Kydd skilfully takes on the role of director, certainly not an easy task in a production with multiple costume changes and audience participation. Susan Chaney has made great costume choices for the many characters portrayed by the three performers, while Roddy Simpson also contributes as sound engineer.
advice
It is also important to recognise Dawn Irvine of Deepness Dementia, Willy Gilder and Agnes Houston for their advice to Citadel Arts Group to help turn McScrooge into a show that is accessible and dementia-friendly.
In a final nod towards seasonal participation, the performance concludes with the cast inviting the audience to join them in singing a selection of Christmas carols, starting with Away in a Manger and concluding with We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Citadel Arts Group are to be congratulated on creating an accessible, dementia-friendly pantomime, that can be enjoyed by all, while still retaining the most important elements of Charles Dickens’ classic tale.
Running time: 50 minutes (no interval)
Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, EH8 9SU
Thursday 14 November 2024
One performance: 2pm.
Run ended.
McScrooge is touring to various care homes and primary schools in the lead up to Christmas and will also have the following public performances:
The Ripple, 198 Restalrig Road South EH7 6DZ
Fri 29 November: 1.30pm
Leith Dockers Club, 17 Academy Street, Leith EH6 7EF
Mon 9 December 2024: 2pm.
Both performances are free but ticketed. Email lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk to reserve a place.
Mark Kidd and James Bryce. Pic: Liz Hare.
ENDS
