Things begin in the audition room, as steely director Chris sets about casting the play. From the start there’s disaster upon disaster – prospective performers read scenes from films rather than the actual play, the resident dimwit Dennis (Jonathan Sayer) insists Bob Cratchit is actually a frog, and Robert (Henry Lewis) will do just about anything to play Scrooge. To no one’s surprise, though, Chris – who shares some striking qualities with Scrooge himself – casts himself in the leading role. But surprise, surprise, everything that could possibly spiral out of control absolutely does.
Written by Mischief’s co-founders Lewis, Sayer and Henry Shields, many of the big gags are set up in the early rehearsal section of the play, with the payoff coming later. It’s a script that leaves no loose end – every single line has a worthwhile, deliciously funny purpose. The play within the play follows Dickens’ story closely: Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Marley, and then the three spirits who aim to show him the error of his ways.
If you’re actually here for A Christmas Carol, you’d be better off going to one of the countless other productions on right now. Mischief’s show is all about the blunders and bungles, really, not clever Dickens references – truthfully, they could be performing literally any story. All the usual antics are here: lines are forgotten, feuds within the cast play out during the show, and miscommunications result in coins falling from the ceiling instead of snow. A model set-box gone wrong leads to some catastrophically incorrect set pieces appearing alongside the traditional Victorian scenes. Of course, it’s broad humour, but it’s broad humour at its finest.
Lots of the amusement comes from Chris’ bubbling anger as everything falls apart. But there’s plenty of physical comedy too – at one point, Robert is held captive inside an enormous Maltesers box, along with the round chocolates. And considering Mischief’s global success, we can safely assume that watching people fall over and forget things is more than enough to get a room giggling en masse – at points, it feels like the whole crowd is in hysterics. When Lewis and Sayer first come onstage, they’re greeted like celebrities with massive cheers. It’s still the sort of stuff best enjoyed with a drink in hand. But if there’s any time to get drunk in the theatre, it’s Christmas, isn’t it?