It's not panto but it's not Les Miserables either. All my family enjoyed it. My youngest son is just about to turn eight and he came out the theatre and announced loudly:
That was brilliant! Much better than 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'.I think that says it all.
This is a production to take your children to and it really can not go wrong because it based on a timeless story with a timeless message. So if you have children between 8 and 13 as I do, then I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you're looking for something more intellectually challenging then why on earth would you want to see a musical?
In fact it can't be that bad as on the first night (when the majority of the critics went along to the show) the show received a standing ovation from about 80% of the audience. I noticed that even Andrew Lloyd Webber was standing but I suppose he might have some vested interests. Although I did think that the standing ovation might not go down too well with the critics - probably the other 20% of the audience! They probably felt like they should have stood but couldn't and that would have made them feel all the more bitter and irritated - we English are so strange. Having said that, I'm not sure the production quite deserved a standing ovation but who cares ... only critics.
I suppose I should give you links to the critics but I don't think it is worth the bother - with this particular production they serve little purpose as they failed to see what 'Scrooge' is. I think it best to end by saying that my family enjoyed it and as Charles Dickens said of his story, 'A Christmas Carol':
I have endeavored in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.
Their faithful Friend and Servant,
C.D.
December, 1843.
May the ghost of Charles Dickens haunt all those sad critics this Christmas ...
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