What the Dickens? Neil Morrissey is back tackling the author’s work

“It’s literally a ten-minute walk from my front door.”

It’s a statement you don’t often hear from a leading actor on a major production, but for Neil Morrissey, it’s a huge part of the appeal of starring in Mark Gatiss’s acclaimed production of A Christmas Carol at Alexandra Palace Theatre this festive season. While the convenience is a bonus, the real draw, he explains, is the quality of the production itself. “It’s a fantastic piece,” he enthuses. “It’s really well written. And the script is an absolutely fantastic adaptation of the Dickens.”

Morrissey is taking on the role of Jacob Marley, the tormented ghost who sets Scrooge on his path to redemption. The part was originally played by Gatiss himself, a fact that Morrissey seems both humbled and amused by. “He’s approved of me since I said yes,” he jokes, laughing that he hasn’t been given any tips from the writer and original star. “I’ve got a feeling he might be busy.”

The show, subtitled “A Ghost Story,” leans into the supernatural elements of Dickens’s classic tale. Morrissey is excited about the stagecraft and illusions involved, which he likens to magic. “It’s all very clever stuff, to the Victorian stagecraft that they used to use,” he says. “All kinds of things like tilted pieces of glass and gauze, which lit in different ways, can make people appear to disappear or float.”

But beyond the special effects, the heart of the story remains. “It’s the eternal story of Christmas, isn’t it? A story of regret and resentment and love and power and spiritualism,” he reflects. Morrissey believes the show resonates with audiences more than ever, given the current climate. “I can’t think of a year I’ve been alive where there hasn’t been a need for personal redemption,” he says. The story’s themes of wealth inequality and social responsibility, which Dickens was a champion of in his lifetime, feel particularly relevant. “It’s about someone realising that they can make a difference,” he adds. “But you just have to make the effort.”

This isn’t Morrissey’s first foray into the world of Charles Dickens. The actor, best known for his role in Men Behaving Badly, previously took on the part of the notorious Fagin in the musical Oliver! almost 13 years ago. He acknowledges a certain symmetry between the two roles. “There’s a definite link between Old Joe and Fagin,” he muses. “In fact, as Old Joe, I’m probably going to be pulling out the old Fagin voice anyway.”

When asked if playing Fagin prepared him for the menacing, ghostly presence of Marley, he agrees. “It’s almost like those characters, they’re not too similar, but there is sort of like that thing of that enigmatic Victorian figure that’s got the very ambiguous moral compass,” he says. “The role waited for me, darling. It’s been waiting for me. I had to park it until I got old enough.”

The return to a Dickensian classic feels like a natural progression for Morrissey. He loves the rich characterisation and the blend of pathos and comedy. “You don’t want to produce a pantomime character, but you do need a character that has a certain amount of largesse,” he says. “You definitely want to be scary, and then in the next turn of phrase, you want to be funny.”

He believes the show is the perfect family outing for Christmas, with enough spookiness to keep everyone on their toes. “It is a ghost story, so the children will be quaking and the adults will be squealing, that’s the plan anyway.” He hopes to measure the show’s success by the number of screams from the audience.

Alexandra Palace Theatre, or “Ally Pally” as it’s affectionately known, is a beautiful and historic venue. Morrissey has a unique connection to it, having been one of the donors for its restoration. “My wife’s name and my name are on a seat each, which is handy,” he laughs. He recalls being given a tour of the building before the restoration was completed, walking through the empty hall and seeing the grand ceiling before the new lighting and sound systems were installed.

He’s proud to be performing in the space he helped bring back to life. “I love the idea that someone will be sitting in the auditorium thinking, ‘hang on a second, are they just putting the cast names on the back of the chair?’” I quip. He hopes that his starring role will encourage more productions to use the venue. “It’s such a beautiful theatre,” he says. “It’s not the West End, and all the better for it. It’s unique, and I think people will feel special once they’ve visited.”

The show is the perfect fit for a venue with such a rich history. “It’s just sort of like that perfect time of year for shows like this to bring in new audiences and bring in audiences that might not have been to the theatre before, or they’re going as a family,” he says.

As for the actor himself, he’s excited to be performing a classic on his own turf. “Here we are. We’re going to be doing it on my doorstep, which is great, in a Victorian theatre.”

Get to know the full cast and more details here.