Lifeline grant enables Oddsocks Productions to tour once more

An award of £55,036 from the Arts Council’s Cultural Recovery Fund means the company will launch a tour of A Christmas Carol this Saturday, December 12, in York. The show will then travel to Kidderminster and other towns and cities in Covid tier two that have yet to be announced.

The company was facing closure in October due to the current pandemic. Creative director Elli Mackenzie said: ““Due to Covid we had to cancel two tours and a series of other projects this year, but thanks to our lifeline funding, which provides us an income until March 2021, and the support of our colleagues who run venues across the UK, we are relieved to be able to create a new production just in time for Christmas. It means that we can provide work for freelance creatives and provide an opportunity for audiences to get to see some live theatre in their region. We are working hard with our venues and to ensure that audiences, venue staff, crew and cast can be safely distanced and enjoy an hour of live performance this December and January.”

Unfortunately as the company’s home base of Derby is currently in tier three there are no immediate plans for a live performance on its own doorstep, and other venues across the country. But artistic director Andy Barrow, who is appearing as Scrooge in the production, said: “We are planning to record a live performance of the hour long play to stream to our audiences across the world after the live tour ends, so there will be a chance for everyone to enjoy the usual Oddsocks approach to a Dickens’ classic.”

When the family-run company performed a comedy version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth live from their home during the first lockdown, the airing attracted a live audience of more than three thousand, “It would be great to think we could achieve that with A Christmas Carol," said Elli.

She added: “Rehearsal has brought about unusual challenges and new ways of working. During the recent lockdown we were meeting online to rehearse. Andy and I in from our home in Derbyshire, two actors based in Berkhamsted and a third in Bristol. We have had to work around dodgy wi-fi connections and one cast member’s family bath and bedtimes, but we are together in our rehearsal room this week and we are working onstage in three bubbles, making sure that no props or costumes are shared between us. It’s going to be challenging logistically, but safe, which is the most important thing.”

The company’s new adaptation will involve the company’s usual irreverent humour and storytelling and also features magical puppets performed by Josh Elwell (CBeebies, Disney and The Jim Henson Company) and original music composed by folk singer/songwriter Felix M-B whose debut album Chunk is gathering critical success.

Familiar Oddsocks actor Joseph Maudsley (Ratty from “The Wind In The Willows”) plays Bob Cratchit and Harriet Dobby, who is new to the company will be appearing as Mrs Cratchit.

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