Mr Scrooge

(with apologies to Charles Dickens)

One-Act Pantomime

A Lazy Bees Best-Seller

Running time: about 35 minutes

Available from Lazy Bees Scripts

Songs: some songs are suggested, including some old favourites with new lyrics.

Possibly not for historical purists. This thirty-five-minute version starts with Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson struggling to solve a simple crossword. Holmes reveals that he is working on a case involving Mr Ebenezer Scrooge. Then the traditional story starts, with Scrooge counting money, frightening orphans away, and being unsympathetic to Bob Cratchit when he asks to have Christmas Day off.

When Scrooge goes home, he is visited by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley, and then by just one more Ghost (who combines the duties of the original three Ghosts). The Ghost shows Scrooge a scene from his youth; then he sees the Cratchit family at Christmas, opening some surprising presents and looking forward to Christmas lunch (their father's boot in a fricassee); and finally he sees the future.

Scrooge decides to become a reformed character and give all his money away to good causes – not a wise move, it transpires, as Sherlock Holmes appears again..

Characters:

Ebenezer Scrooge

Bob Cratchit

Fred, Scrooge's nephew

Jacob Marley, a Ghost

Ghost (of Christmases Past, Present and Future)

Mr Fezziwig

Scrooge's Younger Self 

Agnes

Mrs Cratchit

Martha

Tiny Tim 

Sherlock Holmes

Dr. Watson 

Orphans (only a few needed)

Fezziwig's Employees (can double as Orphans)

Extract from Script:

Scrooge: Yes. So?

Bob: Well, sir, on Christmas Day most people stay at home and do things like opening their stockings and unwrapping their presents and eating too much turkey and stuffing and too many mince-pies and having too much to drink and watching violent films on television.

Scrooge: And that’s what you’re going to do?

Bob: Well, not exactly, sir. We can’t afford any presents, so we’re going to have a really great time undoing empty rolls of brown paper. And we’re going to get drunk on dirty water and stuff ourselves silly on dry bread-crusts.

Scrooge: And you expect me to give you time off to indulge in this orgy of self-gratification and gluttony?

Bob: Well, yes, sir. If that’s possible.

Scrooge: Very well. But you will forfeit one year’s wages.