An extravaganza of Christmas spirit (in more ways than one!)
Shitfaced Showtime…wow. Where to begin? From the second the mayhem began, the cacophony of Christmas spirit achieved by a mulled wine and a minced pie upon entry, was well received by the audience. We were welcomed by Charles Dickens, who exceptionally dropped the audience into what they were about to witness. His use of humour, wit and trying to keep a lid on the chaos was admirable and highly entertaining. We were well and truly strapped in and ready for what was to enfold.
This troupe are masters of their craft in terms of improvisational skills. Scrooge then graced the stage with his drunken antics, which was a witness to behold, and was a true hilarity. The real humour came from Dickens trying to babysit the actor of Scrooge and his attempt through the traditional story. Audience participation took its form in the way of jingle bells and a bucket (incase of any accidents from the drunken actor!).
The dynamics between the actors were fantastic. A Christmas Carol is a very good conduit for this format, and with the legacy of Shit-faced Shakespeare at the Edinburgh Fringe, it was a fantastic addition to their repertoire. It was peppered with the classic Christmas songs, which spread the Christmas cheer. The audience interaction was very interesting, and commanding and a testament to their classical training.
The singing from the sober cast was a treat to the ear, and the contrast of the true musical talent with the drunken antics made it for a brilliant Christmas extravaganza. Tinsel, fairy lights, George Michael Christmas tunes and plenty of festive spirit… this is a must see this festive period.
You can see this performance until 6th January at Leicester Square Theatre. You won’t regret it! Get tickets here.