'A Christmas Carol' Off-Broadway review — a festive feast for the soul

Read our review of A Christmas Carol off Broadway, a revival of Jack Thorne and Matthew Warchus's Tony-winning adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic tale.

Summary

• A Christmas Carol follows miser Ebenezer Scrooge as various ghosts convince him to change his ways at Christmastime
• This cheerful and semi-immersive production expands the Charles Dickens story with interactive elements; a few new plot points; and evocative lighting
• The show is great for families and recommended for anyone looking to get in the holiday spirit

It’s Christmastime in the city, and you can hear the silver bells ring off Broadway in A Christmas Carol — quite literally. Of the many traditional carols performed in this production, those performed with a full bell choir stunned my audience into awed silence. And shock and awe are just the beginning of the emotions this evocative production hopes to stir up.

The first, most gorgeous sight when you enter the spacious theatre are the hundreds of lanterns hanging from the ceiling, the sheer scale of them enough to dazzle. They instantly conjure a night sky, but they also hearken back to a nostalgic, Victorian vision of Christmas like the one the story is set in. The lanterns aren’t just for show, either. Hugh Vanstone's lighting design heightens the drama — and, where necessary, the spookiness — of Ebenezer Scrooge’s story.

Two-time Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris (Fun Home on Broadway, The Gilded Age on HBO) stars as the miser. He performs Scrooge’s cold-hearted tirades and blustery “bah, humbugs” with just the right amount of snarl, raging against meek but kind Bob Cratchit (Dashiell Eaves) and jolly nephew Fred (George Abud). But as Scrooge’s heart is forced to crack open, Cerveris really shines. His performance is so heartfelt and endearing that when Scrooge finally cries out “Merry Christmas!”, my entire audience gave him a rousing round of applause.

A Christmas Carol, adapted by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playwright Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus (co-directed for PAC NYC by Thomas Caruso), is fittingly tweaked for the modern audience. The original 1843 story has aged remarkably well into 2025, but additions like Scrooge’s sister Fan (Ashlyn Maddox) as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and a heartfelt scene of closure with Scrooge’s one-time fiancée Belle (Julia Knitel) flesh out the story in a cathartic way.

There’s a reason we keep telling the story of A Christmas Carol nearly 200 years after it was first published. This production, with its perfect balance of spooky and saccharine, sums it up. It reminds us of the eternal message of cherishing people over money, not just at Christmas, but in life.

A Christmas Carol summary

Based on the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol follows miserly old debt collector Ebenezer Scrooge in Victorian England. Though he is surrounded by loving people, like his mistreated employee Bob Cratchit and his persistent nephew Fred, he spurns human connection.

In the early morning hours of Christmas Day, he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. Each ghost tries to show Scrooge the error of his ways by forcing him to reexamine his own life and embrace the spirit of Christmas.

What to expect at A Christmas Carol

As audiences take their seats, the performers — all in their dark-colored Victorian caroler costumes — hand out gingerbread cookies and clementines to anyone who wants them. At my performance, a cast member even tossed clementines from the stage into the eager hands of audience members.

Jack Thorne’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol has been an annual staple at the Old Vic in London since it premiered in 2017, and this production marks its return to NYC after a seasonal run on Broadway in 2019. Unlike on Broadway, PAC NYC’s nontraditional staging allows audiences to experience the play in a semi-immersive setting. The effect is really felt at the climax, when an entire Christmas feast flies over the audience and onto the stage.

What audiences are saying about A Christmas Carol

With 20 reviews posted at the time of publication, A Christmas Carol has a 93% audience approval rating on the review aggregator Show-Score. Viewers raved about the inventive staging and the feel-good Christmas spirit of the show.

• “Uplifting and enlightening. The performers were bang on and absolutely perfect. Loved the bells.” - Show-Score user Michael M
• “Extremely creative and engaging staging of this classic story.” - Show-Score user Ashley G
• “Not only did they make this show immersive, but they truly knew how to touch everyone’s heart strings.” - Show-Score user Brooklyn H

Read more audience reviews of A Christmas Carol on Show-Score.

Who should see A Christmas Carol

• A Christmas Carol is a perfect show for families, especially families with children, to go to and celebrate the holidays together.
• Theatregoers who love lightly immersive theatre will be entertained by the way this production constantly spills off the stage.
• Anyone looking to get in the holiday spirit will find all the trappings of a nostalgic Christmas here: Victorian carolers, classic Christmas music, and the happy ending of this most classic Christmas story.

Learn more about A Christmas Carol off Broadway

With its stunning blend of heartfelt storytelling, traditional carols, and an immersive Christmas feast, A Christmas Carol is sure to spread holiday spirit to all who see it.

Learn more and get A Christmas Carol tickets on New York Theatre Guide. A Christmas Carol is at the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) through January 4.

Photo credit: A Christmas Carol off Broadway. (Photos by Andy Henderson)