Jim Broadbent will make his London stage return in the role of Charles Dickens’ most infamous miser in a new production of A Christmas Carol at the Noël Coward Theatre this Christmas.
The classic tale of greed, grief, ghoulish ghosts and 11th hour redemption will play from 30 November (press night 9 December) to 30 January.
While Academy Award-winning star Broadbent appeared on stage at the Bush Theatre in 2013 for a one-off reading of The Chapel Of Unrest, A Christmas Carol marks a long-awaited stage return for the actor, whose credits include National Theatre productions of Theatre Of Blood, The Pillowman and The Government Inspector, and Kafka’s Dick and Our Country’s Good at the Royal Court Theatre.
One of the country’s best-loved performers, Broadbent has become well known for his numerous screen credits, which include the Harry Potter films, The Iron Lady, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Iris, Moulin Rouge! and Hot Fuzz.
Broadbent will be joined in Phelim McDermott’s production by “an exciting group of performers” that is still to be announced.
Adapted for the stage by The 39 Steps’ writer Patrick Marlow, A Christmas Carol will see some of Dickens’ most memorable characters, from Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mrs Fezziwig, brought to life in what promises to be an “innovative new work [from] some of our most loved and mischievous maverick theatremakers”.
Directed by Improbable’s Artistic Director McDermott, the production will open at the Noël Coward Theatre following Nicole Kidman’s stage return in Photograph 51, which begins its West End run on Saturday.