What the Dickens? Cast of A Christmas Carol entertain rail passengers with festive songs

FESTIVE SONGS: The cast of Hull Truck Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. From left, Andrew Whitehead, Jordan Castle, Emma Prendergast, Mark Donald, Lisa Howard, Jack Lord, Cynthia Emeagi and Adam Bassett

By Simon Bristow

Rail passengers arriving at Paragon Station could have been forgiven for thinking they’d stepped off into Victorian Hull after being regaled with festive songs by the cast of Hull Truck Theatre’s A Christmas Carol.

To celebrate the return of Deborah McAndrew’s hugely successful version of A Christmas Carol, the cast took to the platform to spread festive cheer amongst shoppers and commuters by singing and signing Christmas songs from the show. 

I saw three ships, All the souls, and We wish you a Merry Christmas – all songs from the 2022 production – were enthusiastically sang and signed using British Sign Language for passers-by to enjoy on Thursday.

Hull Trains is sponsoring the production after successfully partnering with Hull Truck Theatre for a third time, having previously supported Peter Pan in 2019 and The Railway Children in 2021. Both organisations are keen to ensure that more people are able to experience the joy of theatre this Christmas.

Building on Hull Truck Theatre’s 2017 production, original director Amy Leach has embedded BSL as an integral part of the show. The 2022 production, directed by Sameena Hussain, features Adam Bassett, a Hull-born deaf actor playing the part of Bob Cratchit, who communicates using BSL.

IN CHARACTER: From left, Jordan Castle, Emma Prendergast, Mark Donald and Lisa Howard

Emma Prendergast, who is deaf and works in both BSL and spoken English, plays the role of Mrs Cratchit. The casting of Adam and Emma sheds new light on this well-known story, providing audiences with two new inspiring role models.

Janthi Mills-Ward, executive director at Hull Truck Theatre, said: “A Christmas Carol is one of the greatest Christmas stories of all time. We’re delighted it’s an integral part of our 50th celebrations through the help and support of our sponsors, Hull Trains.  

“If you’re yet to book tickets, we’d urge you to reserve your seats as soon as possible as lots of performances are already at near capacity. It’s a festive delight for the whole family to enjoy. Audiences should expect a breath-taking score, some fantastic special effects, an atmospheric set and some truly magnificent Dickensian costumes.” 

Hull Trains managing director Martijn Gilbert said: “Hull Trains are delighted to be back on board with Hull Truck Theatre to bring some magic to the local community this festive season.

“The show this year is an absolute classic with a stellar cast. The addition of British Sign Language in the performances is a fantastic way to make the show more accessible for others.  I am sure this will be a hit with all audiences, and it will be a great way to get friends and loved ones together during the most magical time of the year.”  

A Christmas Carol is on stage until Saturday, December 31. Tickets can be purchased online and via the box office here.