Play in a Day: A Christmas Carol
Turn your school hall into Victorian London and your pupils into a full company of storytellers by home time! Our Play in a Day: A Christmas Carol is a joyful, fast-paced residency that takes KS2 pupils from warm-up to curtain call in one school day, ending with a festive, fifteen-minute performance everyone can be proud of.
We arrive with a kit bag of simple, evocative props – A top hat, red scarf, ghostly cloth, costume pieces and “gifts, plus a curated Christmas soundtrack to lift every scene. With light-touch direction and lots of laughter, pupils explore Dickens’ classic through drama games, hot-seating, role-play, tableaux, and vocal and physical storytelling. Even the most reluctant performers find a way onto the stage; confident speakers can step into narrator roles; every voice matters.
The story unfolds in four lively creation blocks. First, “He’s a Scrooge” sets the tone as children build the bustle of Scrooge’s counting house, discover Bob Cratchit’s world and meet Jacob Marley. “A Blast from the Past” sweeps the company through Scrooge’s childhood, Fezziwig’s party and the heartbreak that shaped him. “A Wonderful Christmas Time” bursts with markets, dinners and parties as the Ghost of Christmas Present reveals warmth, wit and the courage of Tiny Tim. Finally, “Christmas Yet To Come” leans into atmosphere and stillness as pupils stage the stark future Scrooge fears, before his joyful transformation brings us racing toward a celebratory finale.
Along the way, pupils deepen their understanding of plot, character and theme, while developing confidence, teamwork and clear communication. They practise listening and leadership, learn how to build an image that tells a story, and discover how music and movement can shift a scene from eerie to exuberant in a heartbeat. Most of all, they grasp Dickens’ big idea—that generosity, empathy and community are everyone’s business and they embody it together on stage.
Everything is designed to be inclusive, achievable and low-tech. We keep staging simple, cue transitions with music, and thread the whole piece with pupil-led narration so the story is vivid and easy to follow. If time allows, classes can add quick-make props or masks to personalise their version.
By the end of the day, your hall becomes a theatre, your pupils become a company, and your audience gets a heart-warming reminder of what the season is for. It’s curriculum-rich, confidence-building and irresistibly festive, the perfect end-of-term celebration!
Tour Dates: Monday 1 – Friday 19 December 2025
Workshops: 4 x 1-hour workshops for 4 classes of 30 children over a day, followed by a 1-hour end of day sharing session.
To receive further information on this programme, including costings please fill out the form below.
