Theatre News

Tommy Steele brings Scrooge back to Palladium from 24 Oct

| London's West End |

25 June 2012

Bill Kenwright’s production of festive musical Scrooge is returning to the London Palladium later this year, with Tommy Steele again taking the title role.

Running from 24 October, the show will fill a gap at the Palladium between the closure of The Wizard of Oz on 2 September and the opening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in June 2013.

Scrooge tells Dickens’ story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who – after a night facing the ghosts of his past, present and his frightening future – is transformed, his Christmas spirit restored. The score includes “I Hate Christmas”, “It’s Not My Fault”, “I’ll Begin Again” and “Better Life”.

The musical version by Leslie Bricusse – whose other major musicals include Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, Pickwick and Doctor Dolittle – was originally a 1970 film starring Alec Guinness and Albert Finney. The show was famously staged in Birmingham in 1992 when Bricusse’s long-time collaborator Anthony Newley took the title role.

Scrooge was last at the Palladium in 2005, again starring Steele, who has played the title role more than any other actor over the years.

Steele’s career also includes over 20 hit singles, Hollywood movie hits such as The Happiest Millionaire and Finian’s Rainbow, and countless stage musicals such as Half a Sixpence, Hans Andersen and Singin’ in the Rain.

Directed by Bob Tomson, Scrooge is designed by Paul Farnsworth with illusions by Paul Kieve and choreography by Lisa Kent. It’s currently booking at the Palladium until 5 January 2013.