Following their successful cricket ground tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream this summer, Scoot Theatre have announced a two-week residency at East Molesey Cricket Club, near Hampton Court, for the festive season. They will be staging a brand new, family friendly adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol by Scoot founder Max Hutchinson.
But with several productions of the Christmas classic running this December, why pick this one? Well, for a start, it’s an actor-musician show which is always a winner in our book. It’s also family friendly, just 60 minutes long and puts a new twist on the festive favourite. And as if that wasn’t enough, there will be mulled wine, mince pies and even Christmas trees on sale!
“I think we’re all looking for a bit of a laugh at the moment and so our version is going to be a fun, light-hearted take – without sacrificing the soul of the story…..We want to spread a bit of Christmas cheer at the end of this incredibly difficult year for everyone.”
Max Hutchinson, Scoot Founder
Staged as a play-within-a play, the main actor, legend-in-his-own-opinion, “Darren Broccolis”, has written and directed the script and then cast himself in the main role, in what he hopes will be a ‘star vehicle’. He’s spent nearly all the budget on a hugely expensive Victorian costume for himself, so has to enlist the services of a very keen (and very inexpensive) young actor and his painfully shy niece to play all the other parts. But as the story goes on, Darren of course learns the true meaning of Christmas and the value of community, just like old Scrooge!
“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour.”
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Scoot Theatre was established over the summer. Their aim is to bring theatre to unexpected space and offer live entertainment to people in a safe and responsible way, particularly those who might not feel comfortable travelling very far in the current circumstances. Their first production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream toured for two weeks and played to over 2500 people, getting an excellent national review along the way. More importantly, they also received a rave review from us, with Mrs Mummy actually understanding and enjoying Shakespeare for the very first time!
Scoot Theatre’s A Christmas Carol will open at East Molesey Cricket Club on Tuesday 8 December and run until Sunday 20 December. Performances will take place inside a marquee and will adhere to all COVID-secure regulations including regular cleaning, e-ticketing, timed entrances, temperature checks, compulsory masks and socially distanced seating.
Tickets (£15 for adults/£12 for children) are available at www.riverhousebarn.co.uk or via Scoot’s website www.scoottheatre.com