Vincent Franklin will soon be on our screens in the Dr Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, but this Christmas, The Thick Of It and Happy Valley star brings his solo performance of A Christmas Carol to The Exchange.
Following a sell-out tour in 2024, A Christmas Carol comes to The Exchange on 10 and 11 December, promising to chill blood and warm hearts.
Best known for his roles in Happy Valley, The Thick Of It, Doc Martin, Cucumber and Gentleman Jack, Vincent Franklin will flex his acting muscles to bring to life the characters, humour and language of Dickens’ best-loved Christmas tale.
In no small theatrical feat, Vincent plays more than 30 characters in an hour and a half, in an adaptation that is based on Dickens’ own performance script.
Vincent is currently filming Beyond Paradise but is excited to be getting back to the theatre. “The audience response last year was amazing,” says Vincent, “so I’ve been looking forward to this since boxing day!”
“Most productions of A Christmas Carol use Dickens’ dialogue but have to lose his fantastic descriptions – of Scrooge, the ghosts, the fog… Some of this is really spooky stuff and loads of it is really funny. By making it a solo performance, just as Dickens himself did, we can put all that richness back and leave audiences with their blood chilled and their hearts warmed.”
A Christmas Carol is directed by Audrey Cooke, revisiting the theatre after directing TV hits like Trigger Point and I May Destroy You.
“It’s great to work on such an intimate and emotional show; helping Vincent build these wonderful characters and build a special relationship with the audience,” says Audrey. “It’s like directing stand-up comedy again.”
“It’s exciting to be part of the ‘Whoniverse’, says Vincent, “and I think people will really enjoy The War Between the Land and the Sea. But the BBC wants the show to be a surprise for viewers, so if I can’t say too much. If I even tell you who I play, I think they’re allowed to take one of my kidneys.”
To book tickets for A Christmas Carol at The Exchange, visit https://www.exchangetwickenham.co.uk/show/charles-dickens-a-christmas-carol-a-ghost-story-for-a-winters-night/