A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story
next weekend in London
Mark Gatiss gives Dickens' ghost story a chilling festive edge as Scrooge faces memory, fear and redemption.
⭐4.7
Samantha Ward ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tracey Wright ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moya Bird ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
DAVID BASSENGER ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vikki ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Geoff Underwood ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Allison PINNICK ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Anais ⭐⭐⭐
Ms Moon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oksana K ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tina ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nicky ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lynsey ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Caffyn-Ryan ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Amelia Roberts ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Robert Watson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Neil Seccombe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Peter Wright ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Things to Know Before You Go
Updated: Tue 14 Jul, 06:00 London time
Is there a Saturday matinee for A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story next weekend?
No Saturday performance next weekend.
What time does the A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story Sunday show start next weekend?
No Sunday performance next weekend.
What's the cheapest A Christmas Carol - A Ghost Story performance next weekend?
Check the performance list above for prices.
Mark Gatiss's adaptation — how much Dickens, how much Gatiss?
The text is largely Dickens, lightly trimmed; the framing is Gatiss. The production opens with a 'Charles Dickens' character introducing the tale as a ghost story in the Victorian sense — not a Christmas card — and the staging restores the original's nineteenth-century chill. Marley's entrance has been talked about for the right reasons since the 2021 run. If you came for the warm cocoa version of the story, brace; this one earns the title's second half.
Alexandra Palace Theatre — what's the building actually like, and worth the trek?
Worth the trek. The Ally Pally theatre is one of London's strangest cultural recoveries — a vast Victorian palace theatre left derelict for eighty years and reopened in 2018 with the patina deliberately intact. The auditorium has unfinished brick walls, soft glow lighting, exposed plasterwork; for a Christmas ghost story it's almost too perfectly suited. Wood Green tube and then a brisk walk, or the W3 bus directly to the palace gates.
Sensitive children — is it actually scary, or pantomime-scary?
Genuinely a bit scary, more than pantomime. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is staged in a way that has reduced rows to silence; the Marley scene uses real cold-air effects and a sound design that travels through the room. The recommended age of twelve is realistic, not cautious. Younger children who handle dark material can cope, but parents who've taken seven-year-olds report short-lived nightmares afterwards as part of the package.
Is A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story suitable for children?
This production has been created with older children, teenagers and adults in mind. While it retains the heart-warming message of the original story, it does include some genuinely eerie moments, sudden effects and unsettling imagery. Families should be aware that it feels closer to a traditional ghost story than a gentle family pantomime.
How scary is the show compared with other Christmas productions?
The level of fear is carefully judged: there are jump-scares, haunting visuals and a generally spooky atmosphere, but it never tips into horror. If you enjoy classic ghost stories on television at Christmas, you are likely to find it thrilling rather than overwhelming. Very sensitive children or those who dislike the supernatural may find it too intense.
Do I need to know the book beforehand?
No. The adaptation follows the familiar structure of Dickens’ tale, introducing Scrooge, the Cratchits and the visiting spirits clearly on stage. Long-time fans will appreciate the detail and tone, while newcomers will have no trouble following the story from start to finish.
What is the running time and is there an interval?
The performance lasts for around 2 hours 10 minutes, including an interval. This gives enough time to settle into the world of the play, enjoy a drink or a mince pie in the break and still head home at a reasonable hour on a winter evening.
Is this a good choice for a festive night out in London?
Very much so, especially if you prefer your Christmas theatre with atmosphere and story rather than glitter and singalongs. It captures the spirit of the season – generosity, reflection and second chances – while offering something a little darker and more distinctive than many festive shows.
About this show
Step into Dickens’ London for a Christmas story with real chill in the air as Mark Gatiss’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol returns to the stage. This production leans into the tale’s ghost-story roots, surrounding Scrooge with vivid apparitions, atmospheric sound and Victorian stagecraft while keeping all the warmth of his eventual transformation.
On Christmas Eve, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by spirits who drag him through his past, present and possible future, forcing him to confront the choices that have shaped his life. Richly designed, gently unsettling and ultimately deeply moving, this A Christmas Carol offers festive storytelling for audiences who like their seasonal theatre with shadows as well as snowflakes.
Other plays next weekend
My Neighbour Totoro
Stranger Things : The First Shadow
Museum Tours Next Weekend
British Museum
Tower of London
Madame Tussauds London
National Gallery
Attraction Tours Next Weekend
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (Harry Potter)
Windsor Castle
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