Some of the reviews were curmudgeonly - and I must admit, Jim Broadbent was the twinkliest, most avuncular Scrooge you could imagine. It was slightly surreal to be back in a Christmassy mood last night with carols and turkey and fake snow - but A Christmas Carol was a delight and you could feel the whole packed theatre simply loving every minute. Critics? Humbug! It was funny and clever and inventive - I'm sure Dickens would have loved it - and I wondered when I read this if Jim Broadbent was responsible for the clever puppets. (Sorry. I don't know. I've stopped buying programmes because they don't half clutter up your cupboards when you can't bear to throw them away.)
We arrived early so my friend insisted we had a drink in the Victorian theme pub over the road ... what can I say, the house white is probably better in the Three Cripples.
It has been a very Dickensian start to the year.