The critically acclaimed stage production of Mark Gatiss‘s A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story may have been released in cinemas earlier this winter, but it’s now making its way to the small screen.
Landing just in time for Christmas, the festive special is just the thing to get viewers into the festive spirit.
The show has not only been adapted by Gatiss (Sherlock, Nolly), but he also stars as Jacob Marley in the retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol, alongside Nicholas Farrell (The Crown) as Scrooge.
So, how can you watch Mark Gatiss’s A Christmas Carol and when is it coming to our TV screens? Read on to find out everything you need to know.
How to watch Mark Gatiss’s A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
The original show was directed by Adam Penford at the Nottingham Playhouse and was later filmed during its run at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre last year.
It was then released in UK cinemas nationwide for a short period between 27th November and 1st December. But fans will be pleased to learn that A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story will air on BBC Four on Christmas Day (Sunday 25th December) at 7pm. It will also be available to watch online on BBC iPlayer from the same date.
Speaking about the news, Gatiss told RadioTimes.com exclusively: “I was very glad we got to record it – it was on in a few cinemas, but obviously BBC Four is a much wider audience. So I’m very proud – it’s really nicely done and what I love about it is it’s extremely theatrical. It’s not a movie, it is a very good record of the show, with all its inherent theatricality. I’m very pleased it’s got another life.”
While many may already know the tale, it’s always worth a refresher. As the synopsis reads: “It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Farrell) has an unexpected visit from the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley (Gatiss).
“Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn’t too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face three more eerie encounters.”
Joining Gatiss in the show are James Backway as Fred, Jo Eaton-Kent as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Joe Shire as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Zak Ford-Williams plays Tiny Tim, Aoife Gaston is Belle, Christopher Godwin is the Narrator, Edward Harrison plays Bob Cratchit and Sarah Ridgeway is Mrs Cratchit.
As well as the stage production getting five star reviews across the board, Gatiss has very fond memories of the 1970 film, which left an imprint on him regarding a future portrayal of Marley.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, he revealed: “I saw the Albert Finney film [1970’s Scrooge] when I was four. It’s one of the first films I have very vivid memories of – about the first half dozen movies I saw have all left a very big imprint on me and that… I loved it so much. I was scared to death, but I loved Alec Guinness as Marley.
“Weirdly, more than Scrooge, I always thought, ‘That’s the part I’d love to play.’ Maybe because he’s doomed? It’s quite moving – he intervenes seven years after his death on his friend’s behalf, to do a good thing. It’s too late for him but it’s not too late for Scrooge…
“The weird thing was after all these years of planning to do it in one form or another, when I finally got to do it, I suddenly thought, ‘God, I’m hardly in this, am I?’ – the part of Marley looms so large, it was like ‘Oh yeah, it’s just that scene there, really’.”
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story will air on BBC Four on Christmas Day (Sunday 25th December) at 7pm. It will also be available to watch online on BBC iPlayer from the same date.
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