A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic at a glance

Show
A Christmas Carol (2026 season)
Venue
The Old Vic, South Bank
Address
103 The Cut, London SE1 8NB
Nearest station
Waterloo; Southwark also close
Genre
Play with music, staged in the round
Running time
About 2 hours, including an interval
Age guidance
8+
Dates
10 November 2026 – 9 January 2027
Press night
24 November 2026
Price range
From £38 (typically £38–£161.50)
Scrooge
Giles Terera
Adapted by
Jack Thorne, from Charles Dickens
Director
Matthew Warchus

Expert Review: A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic

4.5
★★★★½

LTH Expert Rating

Reviewed by the London Theatre Hub editorial team. Last updated: 23 September 2026. Rating based on previous London seasons; to be reviewed after the 2026 press night.

The Verdict

Few Christmas shows in London have earned their place as firmly as this one. Jack Thorne's script keeps Dickens's story lean and gives Scrooge a fuller backstory, so his change of heart feels earned rather than sudden. Matthew Warchus rebuilds the Old Vic in the round, with some of the audience seated on stage and a walkway through the middle, and fills it with music, snow and a Christmas feast that famously travels over people's heads. It is a show that wants you to leave feeling generous, and it usually succeeds.

The 2025 season, with Paul Hilton as Scrooge, earned five stars from BroadwayWorld and warm praise from London Theatre, both for the lead performance and for how intimate the staging felt. Time Out has been cooler, giving three stars and arguing that the sheer amount of festive spectacle can drown out the subtler writing. We think it's still one of the best Christmas outings in town. The 2026 run adds Giles Terera, whose range from Hamilton to Othello makes him an exciting choice, and marks both the production's tenth season and Warchus's farewell year.

What Makes It Special

  • Theatre in the round. The stage is reconfigured so the audience surrounds the action, which makes even the back rows feel close.
  • A festive welcome. Cast members hand out mince pies and satsumas to the audience before the play begins.
  • A new Scrooge. Olivier winner Giles Terera takes the lead, following names like Rhys Ifans, Andrew Lincoln, Christopher Eccleston and John Simm.
  • A proven hit. The production's Broadway transfer won five Tony Awards in 2020.
  • A cause at its heart. Audience collections have raised over £2.3 million across nine seasons; this year's charity partner is FoodCycle.

You'll love A Christmas Carol if you...

  • Want a Christmas tradition the whole family (8+) can share
  • Prefer a play to a panto, but still want plenty of festive fun
  • Enjoy seeing a well-known actor take on a classic role
  • Like immersive staging where the audience is part of the room
  • Want a show with a genuine message about kindness and generosity

It might not be for you if you...

  • Have seen it recently and want something new this Christmas
  • Prefer a faithful, quieter reading of Dickens without the spectacle
  • Have young children under 8 who scare easily
  • Are looking for a cheap Christmas night out; top seats are pricey

Best for

  • Families
  • Christmas outings
  • Kids 8+
  • Classic stories
  • First-time theatregoers
  • Groups

Less suited to those wanting a traditional panto or a strictly faithful, low-key Dickens.

Critical Reception

The Old Vic's A Christmas Carol has been reviewed most years since its 2017 premiere, and the response has been consistently positive, with the lead performance changing each season. Recent reviews praise the warmth and the in-the-round staging; the most common reservation is that the spectacle can overshadow the script. We will add reviews of the 2026 season after press night on 24 November.

  • BroadwayWorld (2025) ★★★★★
  • London Theatre (2025) Positive
  • Time Out (2024) ★★★
  • 2026 season Reviews to follow

Source: published reviews of previous London seasons at the Old Vic.

Everything You Need to Know

What happens in A Christmas Carol?

Ebenezer Scrooge is a rich, bitter moneylender in Victorian London who has no time for Christmas, charity or other people. On Christmas Eve he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him that three more spirits are coming.

The past

The first spirit takes Scrooge back through his own life. Thorne's version spends time on the childhood and early disappointments that hardened him, which makes the older man easier to understand, if not to like.

The present

The second spirit shows him how others are keeping Christmas, including his clerk Bob Cratchit, whose family has very little, and whose young son Tiny Tim is unwell.

The future and a second chance

The last spirit shows Scrooge where his life is heading if nothing changes. He wakes on Christmas morning determined to make amends, and the production turns his change of heart into a celebration that draws in the whole theatre.