Theatre Review: BLOC - A Christmas Carol, Bristol Hippodrome
Summary
Rating: ★★★★
Running Dates: Tuesday 14th November - Saturday 18th November 2023
Where to see it: Bristol Hippodrome
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes (including interval)
Keywords: Musical, Christmas, Feel-good
Review
If you are not in a Christmas spirit before you get to the theatre I can assure you, you will by the time the production finishes.
The staging starts on Christmas Eve in London as we meet various characters and watch their struggles about money, poverty and hunger. The lights and the orchestra brings life into the play. The production follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy and money driven old man who hates Christmas.
We get to experience first hand the past, present and future of Mr.Scrooge. The 3 ghosts couldn't be more different from each other, from calm and sophisticated past, to chirpy and charismatic present to dark and witchy ghost of Christmas yet to come.
Each ghost allows us to see the life of Mr.Scrooge with the highlight of the past being the Fezziwig Christmas ball, with large and colourful costumes and a song that will be stuck in your head for days to come.
During the present we see Bob Cratchit and his struggling family along with tiny Tim who gives a showstopping performance that will melt your heart. As we meet the last ghost we can see a big change in Mr.Scrooge as he finally realises the sadness he held on for so long.
As with any Christmas production, there is a sense of magic to the show, and the actors convey that magic perfectly when at the end we see the whole of London dancing and singing together along with a happy Mr.Scrooge. In the spirit of the story and Christmas, during each performance the production raises funds for Caring in Bristol, a charity to help homeless people in Bristol.
Standout Quote or Moment: “Get yourself a new suit.'“…”No thanks I'm saving it for a rainy day”… “Rainy day? But its London its raining everyday!”
Standout Moment: Pantomine Act of ‘Mother Goose’
See If: You love Christmas spirit, pantomime
Similar Plays: Oliver Twist
Last Impression: A story known by many that will still touch your heart
Written by Dominika