Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston confirmed for Christmas theatre show
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Christopher Eccleston will be taking to the stage this Christmas as Ebenezer Scrooge.
The former Doctor Who star said he felt "very lucky" to be portraying the protagonist in the much-loved Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol.
It will be the seventh time that Matthew Warchus' production, adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne, will return to London's Old Vic.
Related: Doctor Who star Freema Agyeman lands role in Tony Award-winning show
Speaking of his involvement, Eccleston said: "As a child, I read and watched every and any version of A Christmas Carol because of a fascination with Scrooge's psychology.
"As a young actor, I read everything I could about the legendary Old Vic. I'm a very lucky man to be part of this production and cannot wait to meet our audiences."
In the most eagerly anticipated casting news in the theatre calendar...
Christopher Eccleston will play Scrooge in the return of #OVChristmasCarol 2023–24. Book early for 'one of the best Christmas shows you will ever see' (★★★★★ The Stage) https://t.co/1P5pEfUVfi pic.twitter.com/jvEv3SXKNI— The Old Vic (@oldvictheatre) June 19, 2023
A Christmas Carol sees Scrooge, a cold-hearted miser, gradually become kinder after he is visited by ghosts on Christmas Eve. Rhys Ifans, Paterson Joseph, Owen Teale and The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln are among those who've previously taken on the lead role for the Old Vic.
Warchus' production of the festive favourite was first seen in 2017 and also played a critically lauded season on Broadway. Lincoln's version was streamed live in 2020 during COVID restrictions in the UK.
Thorne's extensive work for stage and screen includes both Enola Holmes movies, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Help, Then Barbara Met Alan, and His Dark Materials. He was recently confirmed to be working on the first-ever TV adaptation of Lord of the Flies for the BBC.
Warchus said: "Jack Thorne's joyful adaptation of A Christmas Carol is a feast for the eyes, mind, and heart.
Related: Scrooge: A Christmas Carol is a soulless and needless adaptation
"Already seen by over half a million people globally, this love-filled production continues to snowball in popularity; indeed, more people booked to see the show last year than ever before.
"This year I am delighted to be working with Christopher Eccleston in the role of Scrooge and to be bringing back all the music, magic, and festive joy for audiences old and new."
A Christmas Carol will play at the Old Vic for a seventh time from November 11, 2023 to January 6 2024.
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