Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jack Thorne’s deeply humanistic A CHRISTMAS CAROL returns, this time starring Michael Cerveris as Scrooge

• By drediman
• December 6, 2025
• No Comments

No holiday season in the city would be complete without at least a handful of stage iterations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on tap. Over the last decade or so, perhaps one of the more affecting versions has been Jack Thorne’s deeply humanistic adaptation, which was first seen nearly a decade ago across the pond in a production by director Matthew Warchus at the historic Old Vic Theatre in London. The staging eventually made its way to Broadway in 2019 — just prior to the pandemic — garnering accolades and a handful of Tony Awards. This Christmas, the production, which is co-directed by Thomas Caruso, makes a welcome return to New York, this time at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (referred to simply as “PAC NYC”), a relatively new, state of the art venue located in Manhattan’s downtown Financial District.

If anything, this immersive A Christmas Carol actually fits more comfortably and is arguably more effective in a flexible space like PAC NYC’s, which allows for the kind of true in-the-round seating configuration — which was realized a tad awkwardly at the Lyceum, the proscenium theater where it played previously on Broadway — that the exquisitely-designed production ideally calls for. I’m happy to report that Thorne’s adaptation — which is fairly faithful to Dickens’ novella in the first act, but re-orients the trajectory of the second half (to get to the same place, of course) — remains a grounded, community-oriented brew, allowing Scrooge’s transformation from selfishness and mean-spiritedness to generosity and abundant compassion to take a more organic path, by way of delving into and attempting to make sense of the character’s knotted psychology (e.g., Scrooge’s fleshed out relationship with his father brings welcome context to his excessively grim outlook on life at the start of the tale). Another distinguishing aspect of the staging is the centrality of music in the storytelling. Throughout, carols are incorporated — with lovely live musical accompaniment — loosely commenting on the Thorne’s efficient, pointedly-written scenes, thereby imbuing both elements with specificity and pregnant meaning.

This year, Scrooge is being portrayed by Michael Cerveris, who is all but recognizable under a mangy mane and severe Dickensian garb. Once again, the two-time Tony-winner disappears into the role in a layered performance that brings depth to the often two-dimensionally played character. The Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present have been passed on to theater veterans Nancy Opel and Crystal Lucas-Perry, respectively, who animate the proceedings with their superb comic timing and self-conscious theatricality. Returning to the production is Danshiell Eaves, who is just about perfect as the mousy but irrepressibly upbeat Bob Crotchet. As Scrooge’s past love Belle, Julia Knitel brings a disarming matter-of-factness to her performance that imbues the relatively small role with uncommon gravitas. Despite these notable turns, Warchus’s emotionally penetrating production is by and large an ensemble piece, putting collective storytelling above all else. The net result is just as heart-warming and profoundly sobering as I remember it to be.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Off-Broadway, Play
Perelman Performing Arts Center
2 hours (with one intermission)
Through January 4