A Christmas Carol as you’ve never seen it

A Christmas Carol from Bexhill Amateur Theatrical Society

The production is described as “a major, collaborative affair.”

This stunning version involves actors from ten groups in the area: Bexhill and Battle Light Operatic Societies, The Stables Theatre in Hastings, Bowler Crab Shakespeare Productions in Three Oaks, Little Common Players, actors from local schools, colleges and universities, ringers from TV-featured Senlac Bells, dance teachers from DanceHouse UK, singers from Quintasia and Julie’s Adult Community Singers and, of course the BATS themselves.

Director Mike Poole said: “It’s the best assembly of acting talent I’ve seen in many years. It will be exciting, dramatic, chilling and uplifting – and there won’t be a dry eye in the house at the end.”

Among the younger actors are three who play the Cratchit children - and they really are family. Sisters Ruby and Maisie Edwards portray Martha and Belinda, and their cousin Oscar Little is Tiny Tim in an impressive debut performance.

Mike said: “They are working with three other excellent actors, Sacha Highland as their brother Peter, Stuart Miller as their father and Clare Sayers as their mother. Between them, they provide the love that is at the centre of this big production.

“Cast and crew have been preparing at least five nights a week for four months. The reason for all this effort is that the play is a totally new adaptation, direct from the book, which stays true to the story and uses much more of Dickens’ text than is usual. Dickens’s writing is so beautiful and so funny, it seemed a shame not to use more of it than just the dialogue. It is an ensemble piece with the forty strong cast on stage and Scroogethere every minute of the show. We are so lucky to have professional actor Arthur Kelly heading up this impressive cast as Scrooge himself.

There has never been such a big or collaborative stage show before. It really demonstrates what stunning local talent there is. But most of all – it is a fantastic, epic show that all ages will enjoy – a fresh, exciting and funny look at a classic story that everyone thinks they know.”

The play opens on Thursday January 7 and runs until Saturday January 9, with performances at 7.30pm and a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets are £12 for adults and £7 for under 18s, with £2 off every ticket for parties of 10 or more. Contact the DLWP box office on 01424 229111.