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"Christmas Carol" by Alistair Clinton (18 Dec 2020)

On 18 Dec 2020, as Covid stalked the world, St Michael’s Players took their annual, world-famous, panto online.  The show went out live from 14 homes around the UK and over 200 homes tuned in and watched the live stream from as far afield as New Zealand, Malta, Canada, USA, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, South Africa and even Liverpool.  It was and remains free to watch with our audience asked instead to consider a donation to the associated justgiving page https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/christmascarol.  Thank you, if you do.
 
This recording is all that now remains of that famous night in 2020 when St Michael’s Players cheered the whole world.

The show


About the show

Determined not to be cowed by the Covid thingy, we went for it. We found Alistair Clinton's script online and with license in hand we set about adding Chiswickian magic and finding our cast.

Luckily no-one was going anywhere and the cast found themselves pretty quickly.  On screen acting was a new skill for most of us to learn and Zoom's vagaries  added an extra level of complexity.  And the prop handling took some working out and at least two pieces of each item which had to pass from person to person.

Covid did help though as we could pretty much rehearse every evening as it was all online so location didn't matter.

On the night, we watched the "audience" arriving and logging in and with our hearts in our mouths, we were off.  

PHOToS/Title Cards

Reviews

"I watched the wonderful Christmas Panto last night with friends and I was so touched by the opening clip – there are no words to express how much that has meant to me and my family.  Malcolm loved being involved in the St Michaels Players over the years.  You are so right he has not been forgotten as is testament to all the wonderful letters, notes that we have and are still receiving.   He had an amazing ability to contact with so many people
 
I  am writing this to you in the hope that you can please pass my thanks onto Alastair and Chris and other members of the cast.  I also have to say that I thought you managed to put on an excellent performance under such difficult circumstances – well done.  I look forward to 2021 and being able to support the Players when once again you are all able to perform in person once again" Menna O'N, Chiswick

"I had a wonderful time yesterday watching your panto.  It made me miss London even more. But on the plus side I got to watch panto from my home.  And it was absolutely fantastic! Well done! Spot on and all on zoom. The jokes, the timing, the acting I'm very impressed." Ans, Miek and Charlie, Netherlands
 
"Congratulations - panto was really fun! Merry Christmas" Katherine S, Switzerland

"We watched your fabulous panto last night.  Thank you so much.  It was great fun.  Edie said it must have been particularly fun for Scrooge's wife/daughter or whoever it was assigned with the task of throwing custard pies in his face!!  It was hugely appreciated and raised spirits that really needed lifting!  And thank you so much for raising funds for the Church.  We have had a challenging year financially but, on the plus side, we've never felt more loved and connected with our community - which is wonderful" Rev Martine O

"What a fun way to do a panto! Especially loved the virtual props" Martin and Pierrette, Montreal, Canada

"Well done for making it work on Zoom. not easy" Alice, Chiswick

"What a fun way to spend a Friday evening" Paul and Ann, Epsom

"That was great - what a fun evening! Sooo enjoyed it!" Andrew and Gina, Nutfield

"We LOVED it - oh yes we did.." Martin and Viv, Chorleywood

"... I caught the show during lunch today. Very entertaining, and very creative use of Zoom backgrounds and filters!" Patrick, Mountain View, California

"Congratulations on making it such a success! Everyone pulled the stops out on their performances, and handled the glitches with aplomb! John was particularly impressed by Neil, who was never off the screen and kept up the momentum throughout" Cecilia C

"... very cleverly executed on Zoom - it shows what can be done" Priscilla, Hanwell

"Absolutely loved it... a truly great effort from everyone in the show" Steve and Shelley, Chiswick

"Terrific group so pleased you have been able put a panto together for us all to see, unfortunately not on stage with an audience, but to do it on zoom is fantastic. You are all great" Pennie B, Barnes

"Fantastic Chris!! Well done. Jenny and I loved it. 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻" Patrick M, Johannesburg, South Africa

"Well done to you all dahlings. Barbara and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What a lot of thought and massive effort went into it. You were all fab-u-lous and I was total hornswoggled!" Gerry W

"Well done, Chris and all the St Michael's Players. Enjoyed just as much as previous years. Brilliant!" Fiona C

"Great show - congratulations!" David and Katherine S

"Brilliant! Thank you" Glyn F

"Fantastic .... well done. I loved it. But then I am a fan !!" Jacquetta P

"It was fabulous" Colette C

"What a fabulous effort!" Shah

"Yes we watched from Malta. We loved it and you deserved all the enthusiastic feedback, 😍I have shared it and recommended to quite a few people 😎​" Laurel R

"That was awesome! 💥👏👏 Well done!" Chris S

"Congrats Chris. A good show. Very well done and especially brave doing it live" Sue H

"Enjoyed the panto last night 😂 ... Oh yes we did!" Sue B, Cheam

"Loving it .  It’s so clever ! They are brilliant" Monica K, Chiswick

"Absolutely fabulous panto ! Really enjoyed the show ! Thanks to everyone involved to make it happen! Merry Christmas to all!" Imogen M

"Well done guys - that was SO much fun, brilliant, all my neighbours tuned in and really enjoyed it too. Loved all the effects!  Merry Christmas to all! X😃🥂🌲☃️❄️🎉🎁" Elizabeth O

"Fab-u-lous - watched it on my Virgin TV channel 198 - with my feet up!" Jo H

"That was brilliant everybody. You were all great - lovely script and wonderful costumes! Miss you all. Happy Christmas! Xxx" Sue D

"It was fab! so professional too!  Jamie loved the pie scenes. I enjoyed the local and current references. Brexit deal out of a cracker, dog poos in Sutton Court Road, masks and social distancing and all well done." Utku E

"Well done Neil and all of the St Michael's Players" The Whittocks

"Great panto - well done everyone. Merry Christmas!" Kay P

"Great panto, Love the bow Guy" Liz C

"Splendid" Jenny M

"Well done!" Martin F

"Good show guys, look forward to seeing you all in person next year" D Lummis

"Wonderful fun" Catherine E

"Amazing, Tani loved it" Kezia

"Very enjoyable, well done Oscar" Brenda B

"It was great seeing Oscar. Good performance" Luz V

"There's the occasional advantage of more or less everything going digital. Just zoomed in for the  first Christmas panto in over 10 years. Thanks Paul for an enjoyable evening" Johanna J, Stockholm, Sweden

"That was superb , well done Al @ all the team.  Enjoyed it so much was brilliant so clever so current & so well acted thank you xx" Janet M

"Great show, we both enjoyed it." Lesley E

"Congrats to everyone involved. A fantastic undertaking and such fun. X ⭐️" Jean T

"Loved it @⁨Alastair⁩ such fun! Thanks for letting us know about it. Merry Xmas all" 
Sarah C

"Great fun this evening, thank you. And a bravura technical achievement. Well done St Michael's Players - as always, setting standards" Alison D

"Excellent panto-thank you!" Priscilla H

Congratulations everyone! And best wishes for a Happy Christmas and covid-free New Year! Lots of love, Claire (Jack and the Beanstalk and Salad Days props)" Claire R

"Thank you for the panto. It was brilliant!" Pauline O

"Superb performance thank you been the best bit of Xmas so far!!" Janet M

"Well done to you all. Looking forward to ‘real’ productions (hopefully) in 2021" Gerry W

"Really missed the live Panto this year but what an alternative last night! Brilliant! Thank you so much for all this effort and how fab we could watch in the comfort of our homes . Happy Xmas All" Monica K

"Great fun - well done ..Now to celebrate Christmas." Simon H

"Thank you for all your great plays" Carl and Yamiko

"Well done everybody. Impressive technical know-how bringing it to our small screens" Dorothy H

"Please convey my congratulations to all the wonderful players in that heartrending, idiosyncratic, Chiswickia version of A Christmas Carol.  It was wonderful!  Love to all" Robin E

"Great show" Carl L

"How fabulous was that - such a great idea......really clever" Michelle H

"That was great...very clever and funny" Lesley A R

"Thanks for the fun panto, please pass on my congratulations to all concerned. It was really worth the effort! A special thanks to whoever managed the technical magic. I am in awe!" Kay S

"We found it extremely enterprising, entertaining and thoroughly novel. How you all did it we will never know."  IK & EK

"I really enjoyed Christmas Carol - all the right elements, panto dames, double entendre and local references! Certainly made a change from my current Friday night entertainment!"  JA

From Anonymous donors
"Loved the show- so funny and love the zoom format"
"Giving thanks for this moment of cheer and the ability to join you from 4,000 miles away!"
"Loved the panto. Thank you!"
"Well done"
"Congratulations on an amazing and entertaining show"
"Well done! It was a great way to spend an evening - looking forward to the next show"
"
Well done with a brilliant show viewed from the sofa​"
"Great panto - well done all!"

Cast

Scrooge (Neil Dickins)
Charles Dickens (David Burles)
Christmas Past (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze)
Christmas Present (Bryony Wilman)
Christmas Future (Paul Francis)
Belle (Flora Barker)
Young Lad (Oscar Rai Darby)
Bob Cratchit (Paul Francis)
Mrs Slap (Alastair Dewar)
Mrs Tickle (Guy Fairbank)
Fred (Deesh Mariwala)
Marley (Jane Atkinson)
Fezziwig (Cressida Strauss)
Fezziwig Party People (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman, Deesh Mariwala)
Young Scrooge (Stella Henney)
Mrs Cratchit (Jane Atkinson)
​​Emma Cratchit (Cressida Strauss)
Gemma Cratchit (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze)
​Tiny Tim (Oscar Rai Darby)
Sandra (Stella Henney)
Mr Smithers (Guy Fairbank)
Mrs Smithers (Cressida Strauss)
Mourners (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman, Cressida Strauss)
Mr Macken (Alastair Dewar)

Crew

Director (Chris Hulatt)
Producer (Alastair Dewar)
Video Supremo (Ian Trowbridge)
Script Chiswickifier (Cecilia Coleshaw)
Music/Sound Mix (Andy Murray)
Zoom Advisor (Deesh Mariwala)
Props (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze)
Costumes (Jane Atkinson, Bryony Wilman)
Make-Up (by Zoom and the cast)

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