yorkshire Evening GHOST Photography by Anthony Robling “ Let us transport you from the trials and tribulations of this year to the heart of this classic ghost tale of redemption and compassion” warm welcome to Carol remains a fitting story for our triumphs such as Matthew Warchus’ production in order to make it available Leeds Playhouse’s times 177 years after Dickens wrote it. Peter Pan, Jude Kelly’s Singin’ in for free to schools, hospitals and care festive production of Leeds Playhouse Christmas shows the Rain and Nikolai Foster’s Annie, homes where residents and pupils A Christmas Carol. have become a major celebratory which was still touring seven years are not able to visit the Playhouse. AWe can only imagine what Charles event for the city. Last year’s magical after its performances here in 2011, We’ve been overwhelmed by the Dickens would have thought about production of The Wizard Of Oz brought and you can see why the Playhouse generosity of spirit and creativity of the 2020, but there may be a clue in his audiences flocking to follow the yellow has such a strong festive following. people of Leeds and the City Region writing as to what he might regard as brick road, and other recent festive Christmas is always a magical time over the past few months – thank you the best antidote: ‘There is nothing hits include our much-celebrated for us and this year we wanted to for your unflagging support. I also in the world so irresistibly contagious production of The Lion, the Witch share the joy with as many people as want to say a special thanks to our as laughter and good humour.’ So, let and the Wardrobe, which went on to possible. We have gifted 1,000 free production sponsors Irwin Mitchell us transport you from the trials and draw crowds at The Bridge Theatre in tickets to NHS workers as a huge thank and Caddick Group for their support tribulations of this year to the heart of London last year, Strictly Ballroom the you for their incredible work. The in bringing this production to life. this classic ghost tale of redemption Musical, which subsequently toured production features integrated British I hope you thoroughly enjoy and compassion. Bringing together to Toronto and the West End, and Sign Language, a creative technique A Christmas Carol and wish you the past, present and future, with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which went that worked so brilliantly in Director and your loved ones a very Merry community and kindness triumphing on a hugely successful 13-month tour Amy Leach’s last production Oliver Christmas and a Happy New Year. over greed and selfishness, A Christmas of the UK and Ireland. Add in past Twist in March. We are also filming the James Brining, Artistic Director 2 BSL Interpreter Max Gartery and Director Amy Leach in rehearsals for A Christmas Carol Photography by Anthony Robling Coming together to make magic and memories 3 major things we’ve all missed out on in followed by the first Dementia 2020 is the shared experience – coming Friendly Performance. Since 2018, together with other people to enjoy a it has led the way in terms of audio live event. We hope our audiences will description, captioning and British enjoy not only a magical show but also Sign Language, making them an the warmth and joy of experiencing integral part of the creative fabric it surrounded by other people, albeit of the play rather than an add-on in a safe, socially distanced manner.” element. Leeds-based BSL consultant Amy’s year has been bookended by Adam Bassett and deaf cast members Dickens. She directed an adaptation Nadia Nadarajah and Stephen Collins of Oliver Twist at the start of the year, have helped to ensure this pioneering creatively exploring its central theme of work continues in A Christmas Carol, social injustice which, sadly, continues which has BSL woven throughout. to resonate over 150 years on. Now, “When we think of access elements she’s bidding farewell to 2020 with A as creative layers of the production, Christmas Carol, one of the best-loved it’s like discovering a whole new layer stories written in the English language. of paints in your paint box,” said “A Christmas Carol has got it all Amy. “It opens up new possibilities – laughter, ghosts, heartbreak, and for storytelling, new nuances to a cracking story of the redemption characters and storylines, and forces of a hard-hearted man who the whole team to think harder about rediscovers the joy in his heart and the clarity of the tale they are telling.” his love for humanity,” she said. A Christmas Carol has also provided valuable creative opportunities for artists supported by the Playhouse’s “A Christmas Carol Furnace artistic development has got it all - laughter, programme, including Associate Director Sameena Hussain, who is a ghosts, heartbreak, Resident Director at the Playhouse as part of the Regional Theatre Young and a cracking story Directors Scheme (RTYDS), and Trainee of the redemption of Assistant Director Sajidah Shabir. “We were also aware of how much a hard-hearted man deaf and disabled artists have been who rediscovers the side-lined throughout the pandemic so, along with RTYDS and Ramps on joy in his heart and his the Moon, we gave 18 deaf and disabled love for humanity” early career directors from across the country a paid opportunity to observe a day of rehearsals via Zoom. Playwright Deborah McAndrew’s We really enjoyed welcoming them all adaptation of Dickens’ classic festive tale and seeing their faces pop-up on our was first staged at the Playhouse as part large rehearsal room TV each day.” of its Pop-Up Season. Amy originally A festive family show has been top intended to recreate this well-loved of the Playhouse’s wish list during production for Christmas 2020, but this most testing of years, and with Director Amy Leach the stringent restrictions of Covid-19 the opening of A Christmas Carol meant she and designer Hayley Grindle it feels like the festivities can finally had to reimagine the entire show. begin. So, let’s pop on a party hat explains why Christmas “The original production had 60 and raise a glass to toast the season costume changes and required a lot of – and the power of togetherness. close social contact, which obviously “On his journey with the ghosts, just wouldn’t be would not be appropriate now. We Scrooge discovers the power of needed to reimagine the show to make it togetherness and mutual support,” safer and simpler, and we also wanted to said Amy. “Through the darkness of Christmas without embrace the moment; to acknowledge 2020, the best of humanity has shone what the audience and the actors have through as people have supported experienced this year. That led us to each other through hard times. We a festive family show bring the show to a close with We Wish starting the show with a ghost light surrounded by theatre ghosts who have You A Merry Christmas, which seems like a particularly apt sentiment this Jo Haywood “Making a Christmas show is a been waiting for audiences to return.” huge honour and responsibility,” Amy gathered a team of eight year. And I can honestly say that I said Amy. “For some, it might be the actors – some familiar faces and some have never wanted to wish everyone hristmas shows are always only opportunity they have all year new to the Playhouse – to create A a happy new year more in my life! a highlight of the theatre to watch a piece of live theatre. So Christmas Carol. The cast includes a “So, to all the team working on A calendar, bringing joy and you want to create something truly mix of deaf and hearing performers, Christmas Carol, to our audiences, a sense of togetherness to magical and memorable that a mix who work together to make the show to the staff at the Playhouse, to the Cpeople of all ages. Now, as we come of generations can enjoy together. accessible and enjoyable for all. artists of the region, and to all the to the end of such a tumultuous “It has been such a tough year Leeds Playhouse has been pioneering people the Playhouse seeks to serve year, it feels more important than for everyone, so it feels all the more accessible performances for many each year, I wish you a heartfelt happy ever to give audiences the gift of a important to bring festive spirit to years, staging the first ever Relaxed new year and all the best for 2021.” truly magical shared experience. audiences this Christmas. One of the Performance ten years ago, swiftly 4 Creating Christmas Jo Haywood Set and costume designer Hayley nspiration for the set design of A Christmas Carol came via a literal ‘lightbulb moment’. When theatres Grindle explains how she’s bringing were forced into lockdown in IMarch, we left a traditional ghost light in each of our auditoriums – the the spirit of the season to the stage Quarry, the Courtyard and the Bramall Rock Void – as small beacons of hope Illustrations by Hayley Grindle during an unprecedentedly dark time. These ghost lights, and the warm reaction they prompted from people who love the theatre and who were counting the days until its return, were the spark that fired the imagination of acclaimed Set and Costume Designer Hayley Grindle, becoming an integral part of her vision for A Christmas Carol. “Originally used as a practical measure on Victorian stages to keep them dimly lit when they weren’t in use, they attracted a host of superstitious stories from the start,” she explained.