A Christmas Carol: The Musical

It makes me feel all Scroogie to rag on a Christmas show like Neptune?s musical version of Dickens? A Christmas Carol, but I just can?t see any way around it. A classic has been messed with, and it wasn?t for the better. The music, which was written especially for this show, is singularly unhummable and hard on the ears. The reimagining of Scrooge as less of a terrifyingly crotchety old man and more of a reasonable, if misguided, kind of guy takes away from the dramatic impact of the ghosts? visits. This Scrooge is won over in an early scene where he visits his young, lonely self at school.? It kind of makes you want to skip the rest and fast forward to the ?God bless us, every one!? There are some lively scenes?Jacob Marley and his ?zombie ?Chainettes? ?and the pawn shop scene particularly stand out?but overall, I?d give this show a ?Bah, humbug.? ?Kate Watson