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Say goodbye to Bah! Humbug with Scrooge the Musical

Mark Hird as scowling Scrooge. Photograph by David Harrison

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Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a bit of Ebenezer.

And this year Pick Me Up Theatre’s big winter show is Scrooge the Musical, which hits the Grand Opera House from Tuesday (26 November).

Based on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, Scrooge tells the tale of old miser Ebenezer on the night he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come.

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This familiar classic tale is revamped with music and song – and promises to deliver sackfuls of Christmas spirit with an all-singing, all-dancing – and also all-flying! – musical for the whole family.

Mark Hird (whose previous Pick Me Up roles include Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army, Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family) plays Scrooge.

Rory Mulvihill (Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Sergeant Wilson in Dad’s Army and Captain Teri Dennis in Privates on Parade) is the jolly Ghost of Christmas Present, and Alan Park plays Scrooge’s long-suffering clerk Bob Cratchit.

The show is directed by Robert Readman, choreography is by Iain Harvey, and the musical director is Sam Johnson.

A few of the cast members sat down to discuss the upcoming show.

Sonny Love – Tiny Tim

What do you like best about your character?
I like that Tiny Tim is really positive even though he’s poorly and his family are poor


Any challenges performing them?
Learning to use a crutch! And probably the biggest challenge has been singing my solo in front of the whole cast! It’s my first big role so over the summer, to get my voice louder, I’d go into different rooms in the house and sing my songs to see if my mum could hear me from far away!


Would you recommend this show and why?
Yes I’d definitely recommend you come see the show, oh and bring some tissues!


Rory Mulvihill – Ghost of Christmas Present

If you are a Christmas Carol fan will you like this musical version? Is the story the same?
Scrooge the musical is a faithful retelling of the original Dickens story, so any fan of A Christmas Carol will love this show.


Would you recommend this show and why?
This is a show brimful with Christmas cheer (and Christmas Spirits!); the perfect appetiser for the coming festivities.


What would you say to people who don’t know this musical – what can they expect?
Everyone knows the story; this show enhances it with lovely characterisation and wonderfully catchy music.


Alan Park – Bob Cratchit

What do you like best about your character?
I like Bob Cratchit’s unrelenting positivity in the face of such trying circumstances. No matter what he always sees the positive in a person, including his fairly awful boss Ebenezer Scrooge.


Any fun/interesting rehearsal stories?
I hadn’t quite realised how much I had to carry Tiny Tim on my shoulders. I’ve asked him to lay off the puddings between now and the show.


What would you say to people who don’t know this musical – what can they expect?
Fun, fear, Christmas and the odd tear.


Tickets from £16.90 from the Grand Opera House website or the Box Office on 0844 8713024

For all our Grand Opera House events listings please visit here