Eric’s Christmas Carol - Review

Wow what an extravaganza of live music and comedy.

I will be honest I have heard of lot of people over the years talk about the Uncle Eric shows at the New Victoria Theatre that I was really looking forward to it and ‘oh boy’ I wasn’t disappointed. It is a wonderful, feel good toe tapping show.

All of the Eric plays have been written and performed by David Graham for the last twenty years and produce two shows a year at the New Victoria Theatre. Eric has been on many journeys during this time, as a celeb in the jungle, performing the Full Monty and even been Strictlyfied. This show is Eric’s Christmas Carol with the familiar story of Ericneezer Scrooge, Nobby Crotchet and the Christmas spirits of past, present and future. We are even joined by the original author Charles Dickens himself who narrates the show.

Ericneezer Scrooge runs a music shop with the help of young Nobby Crotchet, a father of 10 children, two called Tim, one referred to as Medium Sized Time and of course Tiny Tim who appears to live in an Emma Bridgewater Teapot. Ericneezer has a housekeeper called Mrs McSpreader, who seems to be very busy with various relatives and we see her in multiple costumes, like a nurses outfit, she’s a very sociable lady.

The show moved along guided by the narration of Charles Dickens and the Christmas spirits are fabulous comedic characters who show Ericneezer the error of his ways, well sort of.

There is a cast of eight all exceptionally talented musician/actors who all play multiple characters throughout the show. There are some funny lines referring to a lack of cast members but they are all also great singers, especially the female vocalists and all have a solo and blast out classic songs like Layla, Build Me Up Buttercup and a great performance of Rave On by Nobby Crotchet and many more. It was a delight to see and hear the live music after the restrictions and see musicians back to doing what they do best. During some of the songs I looked over at Eric and thought he has a bit of a Charlie Watts aura of calmness when playing his bass guitar.

This show is a joy from start to finish, from the comedy script, all the lovely local references which are woven through the script, laughing out loud, listening to sixties music that you can’t help but tap a toe or dance in your seat to. I can see why the audiences of the New Victoria Theatre have taken Eric,his stories and company of musicians to their hearts.

Everyone was on their feet and dancing way before the end of the show.

So get your dancing shoes on and be ready for lots of laughs and go and see Eric’s Christmas Carol which runs until Saturday December 11that the New Victoria Theatre. I can’t wait to see Eric’s next adventure.

Details of showtimes and tickets are available on their website via the link below;

https://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/productions/erics-christmas-carol/