A Christmas Carol rehearsals

Half Cut Theatre‘s rise has been meteoric since launching in lockdown, and has progressed from outdoor summer plays to an enticing evening of festive Dickensian comedy, coming to Oxford this December.

This is A Christmas Carol as you’ve never seen it before! Founding member George Readshaw, who went to Oxford’s Matthew Arnold School, is hugely excited about bringing this new touring production to Oxford’s Wesley Memorial Methodist Church on December 21.

A Christmas Carol rehearsals by Half Cut Theatre

“We wanted to bring something that everyone knows and loves, and adapt it in our own surprising and interesting way,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

“humour is a really good way to get audiences on board and the key to Half Cut Theatre”

“And humour is a really good way to get audiences on board and the key to what Half Cut Theatre does, to add in our own some trademark playfulness and gags.

“So we are taking A Christmas Carol and bringing it into the modern day by making it as relevant as possible, and then performing it in historic venues and community hubs all over the country.

A Christmas Carol rehearsals by Half Cut Theatre

“It means A Christmas Carol is funny, moving, accessible, and suitable for all the family. It’s also very musical and has all the magical elements of Christmas,” he adds.

Four actors will perform the hour long festive tale, so “it’s fast moving and cracks on at quite a pace,” George adds.

booking is essential, but audiences are asked to pay what they want afterwards

And while booking is essential, audiences are asked to pay what they want afterwards. “We wanted to make it affordable and democratic,” George explains.”But we have been staggered by people’s generosity and are very grateful.

A Christmas Carol by Half Cut Theatre in rehearsals

“We hope that people who may not be able to afford the theatre come along, maybe for the first time, and then we can surprise them.”

“We hope that people who may not be able to afford the theatre come along, maybe for the first time, and then we can surprise them”

Having started Half Cut Theatre in August 2020 with Twelfth Night and Treasure Island in Oxford, as a reaction to closed theatres during the pandemic, George says: “What was amazing was seeing the audience’s first hand reactions, we could actually look them in the eye!”

A Christmas Carol rehearsals by Half Cut Theatre

“We are cresting the wave and riding the momentum while clinging on for dear life and loving every minute of it. Its really exciting for us as theatre-makers and the feedback has been remarkable.

“We love telling stories, and our style and brand has developed really quickly so we are very proud of that. Our audiences are very loyal and always keen to see what we are doing next.”

To book A Christmas Carol at Wesley Memorial Methodist Church on December 21 click here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/half-cut-theatres-a-christmas-carol-wesley-memorial-church-oxford-730pm-tickets-199750738837