NEWS - LEEDS PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES SPELLBINDING CAST FOR A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse Promises a Magical Festive Treat in 2025

Leeds Playhouse is set to bring festive cheer with a spellbinding production of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Directed by Amy Leach (Animal Farm, Macbeth, Mr Snow) and adapted by Deborah McAndrew, this reimagined production transports Dickens’ timeless tale into the heart of the woollen industry, offering audiences a magical journey filled with ghosts, generosity, and glittering charm. The show will run in the iconic Quarry Theatre from 20 November 2025 – 17 January 2026.

A Magical Cast of Actor-Musicians

Leading the ensemble is Reece Dinsdale, returning to Leeds Playhouse as Ebenezer Scrooge. Fresh from his performance in Through It All Together, Reece promises to bring depth, northern grit, and heartfelt emotion to the iconic role.

He is joined by Stephen Collins and Nadia Nadarajah as Bob and Mrs Cratchit, reprising roles they performed in the 2020 lockdown production. West End stars Claudia Kariuki (Six – The Musical, Sister Act) will play Christmas Present, while Obioma Ugoala (Hamilton, Frozen) takes on Marley/Fezziwig.

Other key cast members include:

• Bea Glancy (What If If Only) as Christmas Past

• Paul Brown (Mr Snow, Macbeth) as Dick Wilkins/Topper

• Danny Colligan (Jackie!! Gilded Balloon) as Fred/Young Scrooge

• Finton Flynn (Shooting Star) as Peter Cratchit

• Amy Forrest (After the Flood, Small Island) as Belle/Mrs Fred

  
  

The adult ensemble also features actor-musicians: Jon Bonner, Matthew James Hinchliffe (Music Captain), Esther Lim (stage debut), and Rosie Strobel (42nd Street). The role of Tiny Tim is still to be cast.

Behind the Scenes: Creative Team

The production is brought to life by an exceptional creative team:

• Set & Costume Designer: Hayley Grindle

• Choreographer: EJ Boyle

• Composer: John Biddle

• Lighting Designer: Jai Morjaria

• Sound Designer: Ed Clarke

• Musical Director: Jonathan Mitra

• BSL Consultant: Adam Bassett

• Audio Description Consultants: Dan Parr & Esther Irving

• Casting Director: Lucy Casson CDG

• Children’s Casting & General Management: Keston & Keston

• Lead BSL Interpreter: Sarah Cox

  
  

Director Amy Leach commented:

“Casting A Christmas Carol has been a joy and I can't wait to work with this brilliant team of actors who will bring festive joy to Leeds this Christmas. They are an incredible, multi-talented ensemble including highly skilled singers, dancers, and instrumentalists. We're also thrilled to have an exceptional team of creatives working on this show and I know that everyone, on and off stage, is going to create something really special together."

Creative Access

As part of Leeds Playhouse’s ongoing commitment to inclusive theatre, all performances from Thursday 27 November will feature Creative Audio Description, available via headsets from the Box Office.

Tickets for A Christmas Carol at Leeds Playhouse are on sale now via the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0113 213 7700, or online at leedsplayhouse.org.uk.