Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Photos by Stoo Metz. Featuring Rhys Bevan John and Simon Henderson (Neptune Theatre)

Dickens' A Christmas Carol follows that famous night when Ebenezer Scrooge is forced to face his greedy ways. Dickens' cast of characters – Bob Cratchit, Marley, and of course Tiny Tim – make this a holiday classic for the whole family. With a twist: the play is written for a single actor.

A Christmas Carol is a heartwarming story about redemption, charity, and the spirit of Christmas.

"We have created a unique version of the classic tale and played to sold out crowds for 16 years now! We have toured the show to schools and theatres across the East Coast. Over 600,000 people have seen the show so far,” says creator Jeremy Webb,

The production has met with critical acclaim every year and every year the show grows and is enhanced. It has played Neptune Theatre for many of those years and as a part of the season for the past three years.

Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in six weeks in 1843 and sold each book for five shillings; he described Christmas Carol as "being a ghost story of Christmas". Dickens toured England and the US reading aloud his works to as many at 35,000 people at a time. A Christmas Carol was always a crowd pleaser. "I hope that the tradition will long continue," says Webb.

book the production

The production is 90-minutes long and a true family show. The package includes costumes, puppets, set pieces, projections, technicians/crew, puppeteers, props and performers. A team of 4 people assembles the entire show in five hours in  a theatre venue.

Performance Rights

Theatres may obtain the rights to produce their own production and request a perusal copy.

A Christmas Carol is the second most popular story of the Holiday season! This telling of it is fast, funny, occasionally spooky, and faithful to the original text.

 In 2020, Dickens' A Christmas Carol is playing at the following theatres Please click on the logo for more information and to buy tickets.

Jeremy Webb - Writer & DirectoR

Jeremy Webb is the twelfth Artistic Director in Neptune Theatre’s history. Prior to Neptune, Jeremy was the Artistic Producer of Halifax’s Eastern Front Theatre.

He ran his company Off The Leash Creative since 2009. He moved to Canada, from his native UK, in 1998. He grew up in Cambridge and trained at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Jeremy has been working at Neptune ever since 1998.

For Neptune so far he has directed Mamma Mia, Shakespeare In Love, Cinderella (which he also wrote), Noises Off and Little Thing Big Thing. Cinderella went so well that Neptune is bringing it back for a limited run this Summer. Next season he is writing and directing Peter Pan, he’s also directing Calendar Girls and Billy Elliot next season.

Most recent Canadian stage appearances include ‘Cogsworth’ in Neptune Theatre’s Beauty and The Beast (twice), ‘Jaggers’ in Great Expectations (Neptune Theatre),  ‘Jack’ in Broadway on Argyle St. (WillPower/OTL), ‘George’ in I’ll Be Back Before Midnight (Valley Summer Theatre), ‘Macbeth’ in Macbeth (WillPower Theatre),  ‘Max Bialystock’ in The Producers (Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg), ‘Riverdale/Churchill’ in Rexy (Neptune), ‘Under Milk Wood (touring since 2013,) ‘Paul Fisher’ in his own play Fishing (touring since 2012,) ‘Beowulf’ in Beowulf (Two Planks & A Passion), The Comedy of Errors, The Wizard of Oz and Romeo & Juliet(Neptune Theatre), MacBeth, ‘Iago’ in Othello (Shakespeare By The Sea), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Beauty & The Beast (Niagara Falls).

In Canada, he directed (and wrote) The Chuckle Hour (Festival Antigonish), Pinocchio (for Shakespeare By The Sea), Urinetown, Blue Remembered Hills, The Wizard of Oz, A Streetcar Named Desire, Animal Farm, The Farm Show, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Liar, Joseph, Grease, Godspell, The Wind In The Willows, and Til It Hurts, I Do! I Do!, Double Double, Les Miserables, The Hobbit and Oliver.

His one-man version of A Christmas Carol has been a great success since 2003, touring Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the USA, in schools and theatres since then. His other plays, Shakespeare On Trial and Fishing, have also both toured for years.

Jeremy won a Best Actor Merritt Award for his portrayal of ‘Iago’ in Othello, for Shakespeare By The Sea and a Best Director Merritt for Little Thing Big Thing.

He won the 2010 Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Theatre and The Coast (Halifax’s weekly newspaper) Best Theatre Actor Award in 2007, 2009 and 2010 (2008 wasn’t such a great year!)

In 2013, Jeremy won the Creative Arts Nova Scotia Established Artist Award.In 2014, Off The Leash/Jeremy Webb won the 2014 Touring Performers Award, presented by The Atlantic Presenters Association.

In 2017, he was awarded The ACTRA David Renton Award of Excellence (for service to the film & TV union.) He is most proud of two ‘productions’ Dylan (4 years) and Samuel (7 years.)

Scott macmillian - composer

Scott Macmillan’s passion for creating music propels him forward driven by his need to create. Macmillan seeks opportunities in all aspects of music making inspiring exploration into genres from rock to blues, classical to choral, Celtic to jazz, as well as modern and avant-garde. In March of 2019 Scott premiered his concerto for Electric Guitar, ‘12 & Change’, with Symphony Nova Scotia. Currently and in October 2019 premiered‘ Woodland Revival, a musical happening of forest bio diversity in these challenging times.

It’s connections with people that feed Macmillan inspiring his performances and creative talent.  “It’s the thrill of creating something for people that no one else has done, but when they hear it, they feel like they have heard it before,” enthuses Macmillan. 

He was 2014 recipient of Nova Scotia’s top Artist Prize, the Portia White Prize, Macmillan is a musical treasure, playing a significant role expanding audiences for Atlantic Canadian music both nationally and internationally for over 40 years.

Music has taken Macmillan to many places, to perform his much loved ode to our world’s oceans “Celtic Mass for the Sea”, with his partner and librettist Jennyfer Brickenden, performing at Carnegie Hall, the British Isles, Germany, the US and criss-crossing Canada many times.

In 2008 Scott began mentoring a new generation of guitarists at the Fountain School of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University.

For more info go to:  https://www.scott-macmillan.ca

Current Cast & Crew (playing Neptune theatre Nov 24-Dec 27, 2020)

Actor - Rhys Bevan-John

Puppeteer - Simon Henderson

Lighting Design & Stage manager - Jessica Lewis

Many people have contributed to the longevity and success of Christmas Carol. We would like to acknowledge them here. For seventeen years the show has benefitted from the incredible contribution of these people:

Sylvia Bell, Jessica Lewis, Simon Henderson, Jamie Bradley, Rhys Bevan-John, Bill Wood, Sarah English, Jeff Schwager, Kristin Langille, Justin Dakai, Julie Martell, Haywood Parrott, Scott MacMillan, Helena Marriott, and many more

A Note of Endorsement From The Diana Wortham Theatre, Asheville, NC, USA

More than this fantastic show - you have the pleasure of having wonderful and delightful people in your theatre - gracious, kind, appreciative, easy to work with.    We have all worked with artists who we wish would leave as soon as they walk through the door - and then there are the delightful finds, like this great company.  They were with us for three days and we didn't want to see them leave.  They enjoy what they do.  They enjoy the audience - young and old.   They enjoy your town - your staff - your venue.  

They remind us why we got into this crazy business, and if you hear Rae Geoffrey, DWT's Associate Director who booked this group (THANK YOU RAE!), talk about them at the upcoming booking meeting following ArtsMarket - be sure to listen.  

But most importantly, try to see this incredible company and fantastic show while it is in North Carolina.

John Ellis, Diana WorthamTheatre, Asheville, NC

Webb spreads holiday cheer

British-born actor’s one-man show of Dickens’ classic tale a lively mix of humour, emotional depth
By ELISSA BARNARD Arts Reporter, Chronicle Herald

 Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is ageless because it offers hope in the transformation of a miserly, bitter man into an open, generous, loving soul. It represents what many people want from Christmas — peace, hope, love and for themselves and the world to be a better place.

Jeremy Webb delivers that wonderful message with a lively mix of humour and surprising emotional depth in a one-man version of A Christmas Carol called Scrooge. His one hour, 20-minute whirlwind leaves people happy and gaily chattering as they leave, wishing one another ”Merry Christmas!”

This is the British-born actor’s third go-around in his adaptation of Dickens’ classic and, while this year’s show is bigger and better, its success ultimately comes down to Webb’s acting skill in shifting through 30 characters and to his snappy, playful interactions with the audience.

Immediately Webb breaks down the wall between the illusion of theatre and the reality of an audience sitting in the dark. His teasing remarks warm up an audience, building towards the hilarious end when an audience member becomes the little boy fetching Scrooge’s turkey. This has become a classic moment in Webb’s piece. People now stop him on the street, saying, ”My husband was the little boy!”

Despite all the hijinks, Webb remains true to the spirit of the tale and its Victorian setting. His Scrooge is mean and cold, with a slightly darting tongue like a dry, old lizard. The nasty man’s shift into sorrow is touching as he revisits the sadness of his youth, regrets his own paucity of spirit and glimpses the potential death of Tiny Tim.

A master at shifting character, Webb is also beautifully able to conjure images. When, as Bob Cratchit, he enters the Cratchit home, you can see the invisible figure of Tiny Tim held on his shoulder. .

 With a fun shock at ”transmogrifying” into a woman he becomes the quintessential British bitty stealing the dead Scrooge’s silver.

 Webb himself — with amazing speed — turns into the ghost of Christmas present in a blaze of Christmas lights, connecting to today’s excess of Christmas decoration.

Judging from the audience at a recent show who gave Webb a standing ovation, A Christmas Carol is a good family show, perfect for young couples on a Christmas date and a fine opportunity for older folks to revisit a beloved tale.

Thanks so much for bringing "A Christmas Carol" to Sir John A (Dec. 17). My drama students were completely amazed. They were unanimously thrilled with your performance: "Awesome!" they said. "Thanks for bringing him here." "How does he DO that? Change characters so instantly?" "Can we do that again?" The students could not get over how you could BE so many characters and so convincingly. The praise went on and on. The other teachers were pleased as well.

Please sign me up for whatever show you are planning to tour. Details to follow, but I am quite serious. Sign me up! Cheers and break a leg in the New Year!

Colleen Putt
Sir John A. MacDonald High School

We loved the show. And it was such an unusual treat to be able to chat with you afterwards. It truly inspired my students and even me...it's nice to know I am in fact teaching them the right stuff and that they are "tuned in" to drama in their schools and the community at large.

Thanks again. Best of luck in the New Year and PLEASE, KEEP ME UP TO DATE with your shows. We would love to have you and Rhys and Bill out to Sackville High in the New Year.

Take care.

AREN A. MORRIS
ATA Secretary / Newsletter Editor
Drama and Art, Sackville High School

Wanted to say a large and profuse thank you for the wonderful presentation of "A Christmas Carol": at Eaglewood Drive School on Dec. 19.

You are truly a whirlwind of a man - the pace and tempo of the performance was more rapid than eagles could ever be, and Santa's reindeer would be left in the dust of space.  More power to you that you have survived this production!

Music teachers feel the rush and tear of the season to be o'erwhelming; I'm sure that you have found it much more so!  In any case, thank you so much, and hope that you are enjoying an end of season respite! We enjoyed it thoroughly!

Faith Daley
Eaglewood Drive Elementary