REVIEW: An Edinburgh Christmas Carol

That is delivered in spades by writer and director Tony Cownie's Edinburgh-centric revival of his 2019 version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, at the city's Royal Lyceum Theatre.

It's a delight from start to finish.

Set in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle in 1857, what emerges from the production is that the Scottish establishment, and the Kirk in particular, had a very Scrooge-like attitude towards Christmas in the Victorian era, deeming it "humbug" indeed.

Cownie relates Scrooge's meanness and anti-Christmas stance to Presbyterian Scotland's refusal to either celebrate or recognise the season.

But this production is far from just a cultural history lesson - it's a feast for the eyes for "kids from one to 92", with designer Neil Murray's magical set deserving particular praise.

Steve McNicoll - outstanding as Ollie in a production of Laurel & Hardy at the Lyceum earlier this year - delivers a tour-de-force comedic performance as the kilted ghost of Christmas present (Nouadays), alongside Crawford Logan's perfectly pitched take of the curmudgeonly top hat-wearing Ebenezer Scrooge

There's an hilarious sub-plot involving the Cratchit family and Greyfriars Bobby, an unlicensed dog (in puppet form) about to be ejected from his master's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard and seized by the city's dog catcher.

The use of puppets - Tiny Tim appears as one too - alongside the actors adds a refreshing and quirky slant to the production. Kudos goes to puppet director Edie Edmundson.

Punctuating the production are members of the Lyceum's community choir of carol singers whose Christmas cheerfulness is bemoaned by Scrooge as he and an enraged policeman chase them from the stage.

Plot alert: Happily Scrooge redeems himself and comes to Bobby's rescue in a suitably heart-warming conclusion.

The audience left informed and, more importantly, uplifted.

Until December 31.