Walking into the Quarry Theatre for A Christmas Carol feels like stepping onto the frost-touched streets of Victorian Leeds and I left with a real Christmas glow in my heart for the first time this year.
This production takes one of the greatest festive stories ever told and wraps it in Yorkshire warmth, haunting ghosts, generous humour, and enough seasonal magic to make even the biggest bah-humbug crack a smile. It’s a treat for grown-ups and older children alike.
The story, unchanged at its core but freshly reimagined for a Yorkshire stage, follows miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, staging a supernatural intervention to turn his cold, mean heart into one brimming with generosity and joy.
Scrooge is portrayed by Yorkshire stalwart Reece Dinsdale, fresh from his stunning performance in Through It All Together this summer. He tackles one of the most iconic roles in English literature with conviction, giving Scrooge’s transformation real weight. His bitter curmudgeon is gritty and believable, and when redemption finally arrives, it feels heartfelt and even a little cheeky. His joy and childlike delight as he dances, embraces Tiny Tim, and lets go of greed is a beautiful payoff. My seven-year-old son Edward couldn’t peel his eyes away and was grinning ear to ear by the end.
One of the most admirable aspects of Leeds Playhouse is its ongoing commitment to inclusion, and this production is no exception. The cast featured a range of hearing-impaired actors, seamlessly integrated into the storytelling in a way that felt natural and enriching. Most notably, Stephen Collins was utterly charming and lovable as Bob Cratchit, bringing a warmth and innocence that made him a firm favourite with my son. His gentle humour and heartfelt sincerity were beautifully portrayed.
Tiny Tim, played by Lucas Kerr for our performance, was another standout. His professionalism and sweet vulnerability made him an audience favourite and a perfect embodiment of the story’s emotional core. These performances didn’t just add diversity; they added depth, reminding us that theatre thrives when every voice is heard.
I was especially struck by the world the creative team built around the story. Hayley Grindle’s set and costume design evoke 19th-century industrial England with real grit: smoky streets, grim alleyways, and the stark divide between wealth and poverty.
Yet there’s humour too, like the vibrant colours and show-stealing design of the Ghost of Christmas Present’s dress and her bauble friends. Moments of warmth, such as in the Cratchit household, soften the darker edges so younger viewers aren’t overwhelmed. It felt Yorkshire-rooted, familiar and strangely homely, which made the ghosts’ arrival even more magical.
The ghosts themselves were a highlight. Jacob Marley’s entrance, being created with menacing presence by Obioma Ugoala, was wonderfully spooky, being large, looming and eerie, setting the tone from the start. His creepy, bedraggled costume perfectly captured his tormented soul.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come was also especially striking: a huge puppet suspended ominously from the flies, casting long shadows that made children (and a few grown-ups) marvel. The chorus added real magic too, especially when they acted like demons in Scrooge’s bedroom, making objects drift ghost-like around the stage, a clever, comedic way to show the supernatural happenings that first put Scrooge on edge.
That said, and maybe this is my inner theatre grinch, I did feel the show could have used a few more of those imaginative moments. At times, the pace slowed, and for a story that trades in shocks and surprises, a few extra jolts of invention would have gone down brilliantly. Compared with the Playhouse’s bigger recent productions, those that linger in your mind for weeks, like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Animal Farm, this version of A Christmas Carol felt slightly safe and rushed. An extra sprinkle of theatrical magic would have elevated it from “really enjoyable” to “completely unforgettable.”
Still, these lapses don’t spoil the heart of the show. For me, and especially for my son, it was a night of laughter, little gasps, comfort… and festive warmth. The dancing baubles in Act Two, the hug between Scrooge and Tiny Tim, the ghostly apparitions and the final cheer when the stage lights brighten for redemption, remind you why we love this story and why we keep coming back to it year after year.
Claudia Kaniuki as the Ghost of Christmas Present with Reece Dinsdale
I judged the production well for my children; my son loved it and had lots of questions afterward but it would have been a bit too dark for my five-year-old daughter. She adored The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe last year, but this show is darker in tone, as is appropriate for the original book.
If you have a high school child, don’t forget this book is likely on their GCSE English syllabus, so it’s definitely worth taking them to see it. Watching live theatre is one of the best ways to help them engage with a story and remember it long-term.
A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse may not be the flashiest festive production of the year, but it’s heartfelt, haunting and full of Christmas soul. Grab a ticket here , bring a loved one (or a wide-eyed child) and let yourself be transported into a winter’s tale of ghosts, redemption and hope.
Unless otherwise captioned, photography and copyright Helen Murray.
www.helenmurrayphotos.com
