What time is A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong on TV?
Derek Jacobi and Diana Rigg lead a shambolic production of the Dickens classic – but that’s the whole point
After butchering Peter Pan for the BBC last year, the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society (aka Olivier award-winning jokesters Mischief Theatre) are back for another terrible performance of a festive classic – iconic Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol.
Hijacking a special live broadcast to chaotic effect, it’s bound to be another hilarious disaster following in the footsteps of Mischief Theatre’s popular West End offerings The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery.
When is A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong on TV?
A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will air on Saturday 30th December at 7:10pm on BBC1. Find out what else is on TV this Christmas.
What will happen in A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong?
Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Diana Rigg are all set to star in a professional live production of A Christmas Carol – but things start to go, ahem, wrong when the well-meaning thesps of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society try and gain control of the production.
Expect demolished sets, flubbed lines and some serious health and safety violations.
Who will be in A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong?
As noted, this production is a little starrier than last year’s Peter Pan Goes Wrong, with theatre legends Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Diana Rigg playing the roles of Scrooge and the narrator respectively.
Jacobi, who also portrayed Dickens in the 2007 film The Riddle, said: “It’s always a delight to be reacquainted with Dickens and A Christmas Carol is emblematic of this time of year. I hear that last year’s festive theatre production was an all-out shambles, but thankfully the BBC has called in the professionals for this one…”
Diana Rigg added: “I can’t wait to bring merriment and mischief to audiences this Christmas, with the wonderful Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society. And I have also been entrusted with another very important job – all will be revealed soon but let’s just say hearts will be warmed this winter!”
Rounding out the cast are Mischief Theatre actors Jonathan Sayer, Gregg Tannahill, Charlie Russell, Henry Shields, Chris Leask, Dave Hearn, Henry Lewis, Ellie Morris and Nancy Zamit.
Should I watch A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong? Is it any good?
Based on last year’s fantastic Peter Pan Goes Wrong and their critically-acclaimed West End plays, it’s safe to say that Mischief Theatre’s latest will be another hilarious must-watch.
Where can I see other Goes Wrong performances?
The Play That Goes Wrong is currently running in Broadway, Hong Kong, New Zealand and around the UK, with the play making its current West End home in the Duchess Theatre. Performances throughout the rest of the UK are scheduled for the new year and can be found here.
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery is playing at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End.
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
