From Eleanor Clarke.
I AM writing regarding the review by Anthony Dearie of A Christmas Carol (JEP, 2 December).

I, along with the rest of Year Seven at Jersey College for Girls, attended the Tuesday matinée performance and the overall consensus was that it was a thoroughly enjoyable production and definitely worth the walk through the atrocious weather.

I was therefore surprised to read that the reviewer thought it ‘resulted in a hotchpotch performance’ and included ‘over-the-top hilarity’.

He believed that the performance didn’t know what it was and included too many forms of performing arts. However, in my opinion this resulted in an effective and audience-friendly production.

For example, when Scrooge is haunted by each ghost, there is a harmony of singing, creating the recurring ticking of a clock. This was effective because it built up the tension before the final chime – the time of the ghost’s arrival – which was a very thought-provoking part of the story.

In addition, the element of pantomime drew us in and entertained us. This is also why I think it included the comedy: to help the audience focus for longer. This certainly was a successful method for us, as I’m sure all of us had our eyes fixed on the stage throughout.

In conclusion, I thought this was a welcome mixture of theatrical methods and we had the unusual opportunity to see a lot of things packed into one. I am certain that many of the pupils who attended respected the actors who were on stage and were amazed at the multitude of talent on show.
Mont Millais,
St Saviour.