Last week saw the Middle School production of A Christmas Carol performed to sell-out audiences in the Studio Theatre over three nights from 6–8 December. I was one of two actors playing the part of Tiny Tim, who was a puppet, operated and voiced by Clara and myself.
The Karen Hebden version of A Christmas Carol is a stage play adapted from the Victorian novel by Charles Dickens about the miserly Scrooge and how his outlook on life is changed when he is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.
Rehearsals started in September and the process was hard work and challenging at times, but it was also very enjoyable and worth it to ensure that we all knew our lines and cues by heart.
Performing in Studio Theatre was very different to any other play I have been in as the stage isn’t set back from the audience. Instead, the audience surrounds the stage and the play had to be performed ‘in the round’. This gave a much more intimate feeling as the actors were at the same level as most of the audience. The entire cast gave a stellar performance and we grew in confidence with each performance.
As one half of the duo that played Tiny Tim, the main thing I learnt was the importance of teamwork and coordination as manoeuvring the puppet and interacting with others on stage was challenging.
Perhaps we can all learn something from this well-loved story. Money and wealth don’t automatically bring you happiness and we will all benefit from being kinder and more generous to people – especially over this festive period.
