The musical adaptation of Dickens began life as a film made for cinema in 1970, with Albert Finney in the title role. Over the years, with many productions directed for the stage, a large of changes were made, with new additions as well as removals.
Whether this Leslie Bricusse adaptation of Dickens as a musical is better than the various adaptations as a straight play may be open to debate. Certainly the story has on a number of occasions worked well with only minimal musical contribution to provide atmosphere. The story in whatever form is an understandably popular choice for a Christmas entertainment at theatres where the traditional pantomime is out of favour.
This production used a total of sixteen actors, with much doubling of parts. The score was handily delivered by a ten-piece band under the direction of Dougie Flowers.
The fault with this particular adaptation of Dickens is that it is musically and dramatically somewhat lightweight, with an emphasis on good cheer. It was therefore an essential achievement by director Richard Baron that he, and his designer Adrian Rees, both old hands at Pitlochry, should supply the serious elements largely missing from Leslie Bricusse's adaptation. This they both did with great success, rather more success than larger-scale productions that previously toured to the central belt.
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