A BELOVED CLASSIC REBORN WITH
BELL CHOIRS, SNOWFALL & HEART

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Are you fond of bell choirs, Christmas carols, indoor snow, and classic holiday tales? Then you’ll want to make your way to the PAC, where the Old Vic’s production of A Christmas Carol opened last night. Originally conceived and directed by Matthew Warchus for the Old Vic in London—and later seen in its Tony-winning 2019 Broadway run—the production has now been restaged in the round and co-directed by Thomas Caruso.

 The Company

It begins with the full company of sixteen, each holding two handbells, performing as both bell choir and Greek chorus in a presentational mode Brecht might’ve admired. They offer a crisp, theatrical prologue that ushers us directly into the world of the infamous “bah humbug” himself, Ebenezer Scrooge.

 The Company

Most of us grew up with an annual December encounter with Dickens’ 1843 novella—an instant classic and moral parable reminding us that the consequences of our choices will haunt us in the end unless we choose charity and compassion. It’s a lesson that feels especially resonant today.

 Ashlyn Maddox, Michael Cerveris, and Maxim Chlumecky

Most adaptations stick to the familiar six plot points:

1. We meet Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly moneylender and tyrannical employer to Bob Cratchit.
2. Marley’s warning: his deceased business partner, bound by chains, foretells three spirit visits in hopes of saving Scrooge from a similar hellish fate.
3. The Ghost of Christmas Past who reminds Scrooge of his innocence and first love.
4. The Ghost of Christmas Present who shows the unwelcoming world Scrooge has created for himself.
5. The Ghost of Christmas Future who shows the bleakness heading his way.
6. Scrooge’s change of heart and celebration of generosity, culminating in Bob Cratchit’s disabled son, Tiny Tim, blessing us all.

The Company

What distinguishes Jack Thorne’s adaptation—performed here in two acts and running two fast-moving hours—is his rich expansion of the sixth and final plot point. Traditionally, Scrooge donates to a Christmas charity and sends a turkey to the Cratchits, ending with Tiny Tim closing the evening while embracing Scrooge. Thorne broadens the redemption arc with a series of earnest, character-deepening encounters.

Michael Cerveris

First, Scrooge (Michael Cerveris) seeks out Belle (Julia Knitel), the woman he once hoped to marry. Their reunion—bittersweet, candid, and elegantly played—acknowledges both the weight of lost years and the dignity of moving on. Then Scrooge finds his eternally optimistic nephew, Fred (George Abud), and enlists him to redirect his Christmas feast to the Cratchit household. But the feast is so elaborate it requires the participation of the entire audience: a child is guided to fetch a Cranberry Gelatin Mold; an absurdly long chain of sausage links is passed hand-to-hand through the audience to the stage; lengths of white fabric from the balcony become chutes for apples, oranges, and potatoes; and Scrooge himself dashes around shaking hands and greeting audience members as the largest turkey imaginable makes its way to Bob Cratchit (Dashiell Eaves). After Tiny Tim’s renowned final line, the celebration continues with a joyous full company dance, followed by a post-curtain call bell-choir carol that echoes the opening. The celebration is truly infectious for all.

Chris Hoch and Michael Cerveris

Eight musicians, onstage and off (led by conductor/keyboardist Chris Gurr) weave familiar Christmas carols with Christopher Nightingale’s movielike underscoring—music that heightens the production’s emotional and theatrical sweep.

Rob Howell’s minimalist yet grand set—an elevated cross-shaped platform with seating on all sides—transforms through strikingly simple means: four door frames rise from the floor; boxes lifted from the stage floor deliver Scrooge’s desk and chair; haze drifts; and yes, it even snows. Real snow. Cold, wet, melting indoor snowfall that falls onto the stage and audience. Howell’s work is complemented by Hugh Vanstone’s expressive lighting, Simon Baker’s resonant sound design, and Lue Versohueren’s hair, wigs, and makeup.

Julia Knitel and Michael Cerveris

Lizzi Gee’s choreography incorporates spirited, period-inspired clog dancing that reinforces the production’s sense of communal celebration. And at the center of it all is Michael Cerveris, whose Scrooge tackles the production’s most demanding arc from unflattering conviction to a contagious glee. Joining him is a first-rate ensemble, in addition to those already mentioned, are Nancy Opel (a wise Ghost of Christmas Past), Crystal Lucas-Perry (a vibrant, Jamaican Ghost of Christmas Present), Paul Whitty (a genial Fezziwig), Chris Hoch (a foreboding Marley), and Maxim Chlumecky (a compelling Young Ebenezer).

Ashlyn MaddoxNancy Opel

In the end, Warchus, Caruso, and Thorne manage what most revivals only hope for: they make a story we think we know feel genuinely alive. With its expansive staging, emotional stakes, and unabashed theatricality, this Christmas Carol proves that even the most over-produced holiday staple can still surprise and touch us all. To quote Tiny Tim: “God bless us, everyone!”

Crystal Lucas-Perry

photos by Andy Henderson

A Christmas Carol
Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC), 251 Fulton Street
ends on January 4, 2026
for tickets, visit PAC NYC

Gregory Fletcher is an author, theater professor, playwright, director, and stage manager. His publishing credits include a craft book on playwriting entitled Shorts and Briefs, as well as a collection entitled A Playwright’s Dozen: 13 short plays. Other publishing includes two YA novels (Other People’s Crazy, and Other People’s Drama), 2 novellas in the series Inclusive Bedtime Stories, 2 short stories in The Night Bazaar series, and five essays. Website, Facebook, Instagram.