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The Old Vic’s Zoom-broadcast version of the Dickens classic is full of heart – and pulls back the curtain on Covid-era theatre
Three years ago, Matthew Warchus’s production of this Christmas perennial was one of the most joyous evenings I’ve spent in the theatre, bringing a compelling story of redemption and a magical festival of carols together through the power of a great old building that blazed with lanterns, rang with handbells and seemed alive in every bit of its being.
The pandemic has stopped all that, reducing theatres to streamed productions of pared-back shows. So this revival, in a staged performance relayed on Zoom, is a brave and welcome attempt to claw back some of the spirit of Christmas present. I just wish I had loved it more.