How Northern Stage is Reimagining Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
Northern Stage's Christmas production is a reimagining of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
It’s been a busy year at Northern Stage with co-productions: A Song For Ella Grey, Underdog: The Other Other Brontë and, more recently, Abigail’s Party which is currently touring. Now Natalie is working on Northern Stage’s production, A Christmas Carol. ‘I’ve been working on Christmas since last Christmas,’ she laughs.
Adapted by Newcastle University alumni Karen Louise Hebden, this take on the tale of ghosts, greed and goodwill promises all the music, merriment and magic you’d expect from a Northern Stage production. ‘A Christmas Carol is obviously a well-loved story and a well-loved Christmas experience,’ says Natalie. ‘It’s really important to me that Northern Stage is a venue that welcomes people and sometimes part of that welcome is about sharing stories that people are already familiar with, but in new ways.’
Northern Stage’s Christmas slot is the perfect opportunity to reimagine well-loved stories. ‘It’s when some people are making their first journey to Northern Stage, either with their school or with their family,’ Natalie acknowledges. ‘Some people only come once a year as part of their Christmas tradition so it’s a responsibility to be leading the Christmas show – it’s the first Christmas show that I’ve directed ever, and the first Christmas show I’ve directed at Northern Stage so I’m equal parts excited and aware of that responsibility.’
Natalie chose A Christmas Carol because of its themes of ‘community, responsibility and generosity’ during the festive period, but it’s always important for Northern Stage to make their stories relevant to local audiences. ‘I wanted to make sure that it felt like it was from us, from the North East, from Newcastle.’ Audiences will see iconic Newcastle landmarks with the story starting on Victorian Northumberland Street, before Geordie storytellers tell this Christmas story. This fresh take means the story will be told by people who audiences might not have imagined telling this story before, for example in this production, the Cratchits are a Black diaspora family. ‘It’ll feel and look different and have a different relevance because of the ways in which we are telling the story,’ Natalie adds. ‘The story’s the same, but who’s in that story has changed and that adds new and interesting layers.’
Natalie was also interested in the ghosts and how they would be represented. ‘We’re working with a circus director and physical theatre performer [Malik Ibheis] who will use his body in different ways to transform into the different ghosts,’ she reveals. ‘That’s a new area for me and I’m really excited about the potential to shock audiences.’
Natalie describes casting as ‘a complex matrix’ because cast members will be playing multiple roles with multiple accents, and singing. ‘But it’s been a real delight to cast for it,’ she says. ‘We held open auditions here and I’m really proud that we have actors from or based in the North East as part of our company.’ Michael Hodgson is returning to Northern Stage playing Scrooge and will be joined by Darlington-born Alicia McKenzie and Benjamin Storey from Newcastle. ‘I’m really excited about getting to work with local actors as we tell the story for local audiences in a new world,’ Natalie says.
Many audiences might be more more familiar with The Muppet Christmas Carol than the more classic adaptations, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! But Natalie recognises that this show has got a lot to live up to. ‘We’ve got the benefit that A Christmas Carol has Christmas in the title and that the Dickens story is already part of so many people’s routine and rituals,’ she says. ‘My hope is that this is both different but also a warm embrace of the familiar, and that the Northern Stage Christmas show becomes a part of people’s festivities in the way that The Muppets Christmas Carol has.’
Following the release of the Theatre Green Book in 2020, theatres across the UK are working to become more environmentally friendly. For this production, all the costumes are being crafted from old costume stock by costume designer Debbie Duru. ‘At Northern Stage we take our climate responsibility really seriously,’ says Natalie. ‘We’ve got a green vision and we challenge every show to make as little damage and harm [as possible]. On this show, the designer has really embraced that challenge and committed to renew, recycle and reuse our old costume stock in new and brilliant ways. I think that’s kind of the theme throughout the production – we’re taking a Victorian classic that is cannon and we’re reimagining it in a contemporary world. It’s really exciting when you work with creatives who get the vision and are looking for ways to embrace that vision.’
Despite the new take on the story the sense of community and family remains strong, and there’s something for everyone in this show. ‘Something for the five year old who’s coming with their school class, as well as the grandfather who’s part of an intergenerational family experience – all united around the power of storytelling,’ Natalie explains. ‘I think what A Christmas Carol is so brilliant at is painting these characters, and watching a character go on a journey where they’re transformed and have an opportunity to rehabilitate, to change their ways and to alter their future. I think that’s the thing you can never think about too much and that’s relevant no matter your age.
‘Ultimately, it’s about the delight of stories and the delight of theatre. We want to make sure, whether you’ve seen 20 plays or this is your first, that you are in love with the wonder of theatre and stories.’
Natalie hopes audiences feel welcome and are reminded of what Christmas is all about. ‘I want them to feel connected with each other, both with the people they’ve come with but also the wider audience and the wider community of Newcastle,’ she adds. ‘I want them to feel there’s some respite in A Christmas Carol and that the festive period means different things to different people. I hope it’s a time of joy for lots of people but that’s not always the case so I hope that, irrespective of what’s happening in people’s lives, they get a bit of joy coming to A Christmas Carol at Northern Stage.’
Yorkshire puddings on Christmas dinner. Yes or no?
Absolutely! Do what ever you want to do. It’s your Christmas.
Do you have a favourite Christmas character from a show/story?
I’ve only watched The Muppets Christmas Carol once, and it was in preparation and research for this show. I am obsessed with when the little mice in the counting house are asking for the heating to be turned on and Scrooge says no and they turn and put their bikinis on and start doing the hula dance, pretending it’s really warm. There’s just something about the way they’re so scared of him that makes them go “oh, it’s really hot”, that makes me laugh hysterically.
Do you have a Christmas tradition?
I think Christmas changes depending on where I am and where I am in my life. I’m an only child, and when I was growing up my mum (the eldest of seven) used to host her sisters and brothers for Christmas so it was very busy. As they all started to form their families it became just me and my mum. Now, as a 40-year-old I have my own traditions. I would say going for a walk on the beach. I live in Whitley Bay so going for a walk on those big public moments when most people are off work, being out and wishing people Merry Christmas is my favourite Christmas tradition.
How will you be celebrating Christmas this year?
I’ll be hosting my mum and my step-dad in Whitley Bay – and we’ll be walking on the beach!
