This uproarious modern re-telling of an age-old story of festive redemption sees Ebenezer Scrooge as a tight-fisted Cavan publican in ‘Scrooge and Marley: A Cavan Christmas Carol’.
Co-written and directed by ‘The Republic of Telly’ star Kevin McGahern and award-winning playwright Philip Doherty, ‘Scrooge and Marley’ is a darkly funny Christmas fairytale that takes aim at modern society and the rampant consumerism that has come to define the festive period.
Railing at charities for their chiefs’ exorbitant wages, dismissing the merits of watching all three ‘Back to the Future’ films in a row, and even spurning the promise of a seasonal ‘ride’, the penny-pinching pint peddlar goes “speed dating” with three Christmas ghosts in a bid to save his soul, but can there be redemption for a man who thinks Christmas is like a funeral without the corpse?
This is the second collaboration between Doherty and McGahern, who co-wrote the All-Ireland Drama Festival winner ‘The Devil’s Céilí’ in 2014.
Mixing a strong local cast with members of the Gonzo Youth collective and the odd familiar face from our TV screens, this fast-paced comic performance features a fluid, dynamic set and a new score composed by Peter Denton.
Just as Dickens was a renowned chronicler and social critic of Victorian Britain, this raucous reinvention of ‘A Christmas Carol’ casts a satirical eye over the current political landscape, employing the expressive and colourful Cavan vernacular to hilarious effect.
Scrooge and Marley: A Cavan Christmas Carol takes place at Townhall Cavan Arts Space on Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th, Wednesday 21st, Thursday, 22nd, Friday 23rd, and Wednesday 28th and Thursday, 29th December at 8pm. Tickets are priced at €15. This show contains strong language and is not suitable for under 12s. Tickets can be booked online at townhallcavan.yapsody.com.
