Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

Going to a production of A Christmas Carol during the holidays can feel like the same age old tradition as going to a pantomime. With the likes of the Old Vic’s annual production, A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story and Ebony Scrooge running across London this year alone, Mischief Theatre is here to add ba-ha-ha-humbug to the West End with Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Following their success with The Comedy About Spies earlier this year, will this be another home run, or will watching this feel like being completely incapacitated?

I was gifted a press ticket in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cast

Chris Bean/Ebenezer Scrooge: Daniel Fraser
Robert Grove/Clerk: Henry Lewis
Dennis/Bob Cratchit: Jonathan Sayer
Annie Twilol/Ghost of Christmas Past/Fred: Nancy Zamit
Jonathan/Jacob Marley: Greg Tannahill
Sandra Wilkinson/Belle/Narrator: Sasha Frost
Trevor/Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come: Chris Leask

Rating: ★★★★

What is Christmas Carol Goes Wrong about?

The Cornley Amateur Drama Society are back with tidings of chaos and joy, ready to tackle the Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol.

As the Cornley crew hilariously battle miscommunication, delays to their set, actors missing in action and a growing feud over who will play the lead, it’s sure to be a disastrous take on the much-loved classic Christmas story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. Will Cornley finally change their ways, or will their misfortunes wreak havoc with hysterical consequences?

What are my thoughts on Christmas Carol Goes Wrong?

As a Mischief fan for nearly a decade, part of the fun of watching the fictional Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society is seeing how they deal with all the mishaps in their plays, perhaps the best encapsulation of ‘the show must go on’. At the same time, it’s a formula that could easily become stale with the same kinds of mistakes happening over and over. Considering that Mischief already made A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong eight years ago, this also had the potential to feel redundant. Fortunately, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong onstage proves they still have plenty up their sleeves.

Co-creators and writers Henry Shields, Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer dare to do something different with the formula. Unlike previous ‘…Goes Wrong’ plays that jump straight into the production with the mishaps growing into a chaotic climax, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong shows the inner workings of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society. Starting with the auditions, the established dynamics from petty rivalries to mixing up Dickens with Die Hard to a ruined model set make the payoffs create higher stakes, and with that a deeper sense of humanity.

By the time we get to the show within a show, you can’t help but lose yourself to the inevitable chaos. Brilliantly brought to life by Libby Todd’s set and Robert Surance’s costumes – clearly showing an upgrade in the budget – director Matt DiCarlo makes sure the jokes (and laughs) come thick and fast we watch the group contend with such ridiculousness as a lifesized Barbie house, a jumbo box of Maltesers and a ventriloquist doll straight from your nightmares against the quaint Dickensian world. While I don’t feel they quite meet the ingeniousness of The Comedy About Spies earlier this year, it ultimately still carries that Mischief charm.

What’s the cast like?

With a mix of original Mischief cast members, alumni and newcomers, it’s lovely to see them all create a familiar yet new dynamic to the Cornley society we know. Daniel Fraser’s pompous actor/director Chris Bean is more the straight man compared to the other colourful members of Cornley. It’s obvious he’s the one who has to learn a lesson a’la Scrooge and appreciate the motley crew he directs, yet you understand the desperation to put on a good show beneath his seething rage. I must also highlight his hilarious improv skills in my performance when a child in the audience decided to join in in act two.

Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer (both garnering entrance applause) feel right at home reprising the grandiose Robert trying to sabotage his way into playing the lead while playing a literal Ghost of Christmas Present, and dimwit Dennis always forgetting his lines while insisting Bob Cratchit was a frog in his audition.

Greg Tannahill’s Jonathan has understandably gained a fear of heights following the trauma of Peter Pan Goes Wrong to the point of being unable to sing in his upper register. Nancy Zamit (sharing the role with Dumile Sibanda) brings heart as stage hand Annie – that is when she isn’t gyrating her fake legs as the Ghost of Christmas Past. One highlight though is Chris Leask’s always deadpan stage manager Trevor, shining as the Ghost of Christmas That Hasn’t Yet *ahem* Come.

Meanwhile Matt Cavendish’s objectively terrible actor Max is forced to contend with playing several roles to gain an acting certificate – at one point playing five in one hilarious setpiece. Sasha Frost, who I saw in the similar farcical play within a play comedy Noises Off, nails Sandra’s delusions of grandeur, proud of her mouth acting with aspirations to star as Russell Crowe’s dead wife in a movie.

What are my overall thoughts?

You’d have to be a Scrooge to miss Christmas Carol Goes Wrong with holiday season. Judging the enthusiastic audience reactions, Mischief has become a beloved piece of British comedy and theatre, and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong proves they’re showing zero signs of slowing down. The ambition and spectacle in their shows may be growing, but their charm remains.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong runs at the Apollo Theatre until January 25 2026.