A Christmas Carol(ish): a 'wacky' show of 'festive chaos'
Comedian Nick Mohammed's 'wonderful' panto take on Dickens' classic tale

"'A Christmas Carol(ish)' resembles Charles Dickens' original tale in the same way ketchup resembles a tomato," said Andrew Houghton in The Reviews Hub.
Of course, this "stark departure" is completely intentional, and comedian Nick Mohammed (of "Ted Lasso" fame) has great fun "spinning his version" of the classic Christmas story. He leads this "weird, wacky and wonderful" production as his stand-up alter ego Mr Swallow, who, in turn, plays Scrooge and Santa.
The "simplicity and moral power" of Dickens' story has all but vanished, as becomes "crashingly obvious" in the second half, when a "slapstick sketch about the Virgin Mary giving birth on the NHS" is followed by a "serenade to a turkey sung by Satan", said Tim Harding on Chortle.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It's clear that "no idea has been left on the table", which "can leave your head spinning as you try to make sense of what's going on". Still, the script "hits way more often than it misses" and composer Oliver Birch has peppered the production with "great 'Wicked'-esque Broadway ballads" and "a couple of numbers that might even get toes tapping".
The show delivers "an abundance of festive chaos and holiday cheer", and Mohammed is "phenomenal", said Ke Meng in Theatre Weekly. Equally funny are Martha Howe-Douglas, as a "hilariously ambitious elf", and Kieran Hodgson, as a "perpetually starving reindeer".
"I wiped tears from my eyes on many occasions, as giggles erupted around the theatre," said Lily Middleton in Everything Theatre. It's a "deliciously funny" show, with an "intricate and clever set" that includes secret doors and conveyor belts to "add to the controlled chaos".
Mohammed has created a show that's entirely "unique", said Stephen Armstrong in The Telegraph. This is the type of production to which you can take "both your broad-minded grandma and precocious teens". Despite its apparent randomness, the "carefully arranged script" doesn't waste a single line. In all, it's "somehow perfect. Arch, knowing, but ultimately sincere in the true panto tradition."
A Christmas Carol(ish) runs at @sohoplace until 31 December.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
Book reviews: ‘Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America’ and ‘How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978–1998’
Feature A political ‘witch hunt’ and Helen Garner’s journal entries
By The Week US Published
-
The backlash against ChatGPT's Studio Ghibli filter
The Explainer The studio's charming style has become part of a nebulous social media trend
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are student loan borrowers falling behind on payments?
Today's Big Question Delinquencies surge as the Trump administration upends the program
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Scottish hospitality shines at these 7 hotels
The Week Recommends Sleep well at these lovely inns across Scotland
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
7 ways to drink spectacularly across the United States this spring
The Week Recommends A bar for every springtime occasion
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
6 welcoming recipes for cooking and baking during your spring days
The Week Recommends You want it flavorful, and you want it exciting
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Spring's best new cookbooks, from pizza to pastries
The Week Recommends Pizza, an array of brownies and Cantonese-American mash-ups are on the menu
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
10 upcoming albums to stream in the hazy spring
The Week Recommends Ring in the end of the cold weather with some new music
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Video games to play this spring, including 'Split Fiction' and 'South of Midnight'
The Week Recommends A meta co-op game puts you in a game within a game, and a life simulator that can compete with the 'Sims' franchise
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
7 new and long-established musicals to see on tour this spring
The Week Recommends Even 'Les Misérables' is back on the road
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Museum exhibitions across the globe are in artful bloom this spring. These are 5 to experience.
The Week Recommends See treasures from ancient Japan, Versailles and the Forbidden City
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published