ENO and LMTO production of A Christmas Carol to run at the Coliseum in 2020
Posted on 27 December 2019
Christmas 2019 may be over, but that hasn't stopped the West End from planning next year's festive programme. It has recently been announced that the English National Opera and London Musical Theatre Orchestra will be collaborating on a new semi-staged production of Menken, Ahrens, and Ockrent's adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The show will run next Christmas season at the London Coliseum for a strictly limited ten-performance run. Tickets for A Christmas Carol 2020 are already on sale now.
London Coliseum to get 'Scrooged' next December with new A Christmas Carol production
The beloved 1994 version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol by Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens, and Mike Ockrent has been given the (red-and-)green light to run at the West End's Coliseum in London for the 2020 holiday season. Co-produced by the ENO and LMTO, A Christmas Carol 2020 will run for just six days and ten performances only, opening on 1 December and closing on 6 December 2020.
Bah humbug! Why buy tickets for A Christmas Carol 2020 so early?
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is arguably the most well-known work of fiction set in the advent season and just about anyone could spout out the plot of this literary classic from the top of their head. The iconic, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, who open his eyes and inspire him to change his selfish ways. It represents the epitome of the season of giving, revealing that not everyone is fortunate enough to be huddled around the fire; all whilst highlighting the significance of family relationships and love.
The compelling story is so ingrained in Anglophonic Christmas culture that it's no surprise it remains overwhelmingly popular still to this day; which is precisely why you should book A Christmas Carol tickets early as it undoubtedly continues to be one of the top-selling West End Christmas shows of all time. The 2020 production of A Christmas Carol, in particular, boasts choreography by five-time Tony Award-winning choreographer Susan Stroman and the show will include a 100-strong cast of performers and a live 55-piece orchestra on stage.
Casting for A Christmas Carol at the London Coliseum will be announced sometime in the New Year.
The ENO and LMTO CEOs on the new production of A Christmas Carol
The exciting announcement that the Menken-Ahrens-Ockrent production of A Christmas Carol would be returning to the London stage was also met with a few comments from the CEOs of the ENO and LMTO.
ENO and London Coliseum CEO Stuart Murphy said: "English National Opera is delighted to announce another exceptional symphonic musical at the London Coliseum. Investing and producing A Christmas Carol with our partners at LMTO allows us to use ENO's brilliant orchestra and chorus at Christmas, create additional income to support future opera as well as perform the work of Academy Award-winning Alan Menken in this Dickens classic."
LMTO CEO and Artistic Director Freddie Tapner commented: "‘LMTO is thrilled to be working alongside ENO to bring this much-loved show to an even wider audience. Our previous concert versions have signalled the start of Christmas for thousands of theatre-goers, and now with this new staging we're bringing the story to even richer life with glorious costumes, an epic combined orchestra of ENO and LMTO and spectacular choreography by Broadway legend Susan Stroman."
Past LMTO productions of A Christmas Carol were presented in a concert-style format in London's West End in 2016, 17, and 18 whilst the London Coliseum has featured such semi-staged productions as Sunset Boulevard, Carousel, and Sweeney Todd.
A Christmas Carol London Coliseum tickets available from just £12 and up!
With Christmas still on the brain, now's your chance to beat the 2020 X-Mas rush! Book your tickets for next year's production of A Christmas Carol at the Coliseum beginning at just the low-low price of £12! The fresh semi-staged production featuring award-winning choreography is sure to razzle and dazzle your holiday season. Book today to secure the best seats at the London Coliseum whilst stocks last!
By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.