It has been announced that Academy Award- winning actor Jim Broadbent will be starring as Scrooge in a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel.

The story is being adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow and will be directed by Phelim McDermott and will appear at the Noel Coward Theatre for a limited season.

From characters such as Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mrs Fezziwig, this most memorable of Christmas stories is about greed, redemption and ghoulish ghosts – and how it is never too late to change.

Jim Broadbent will be joined in the production with an exciting group of performers who have yet to be announced. But this production also sees him joining forces with two people who he has worked with in the past.

The play has been written by Patrick Barlow (The 39 Steps), with whom Broadbent performed with for many years in Barlow’s comedy troupe The National Theatre of Brent. Meanwhile, the production is directed by the Olivier Award-winning Phelim McDermott who directed Theatre of Blood at the National Theatre – the last time that Broadbent appeared on stage.

Joining them on the production are the critically acclaimed designer Tom Pye (The Testament of Mary), Toby Sedgwick (War Horse, The 39 Steps) as director of movement, Peter Mumford will be designing the lighting and Gareth Fry will design the sound.

Jim Broadbent is best known for his roles in Harry Potter, Moulin Rouge and Bridget Jones. This production marks his first performance on stage since 2005’s Theatre of Blood at the National Theatre.

A Christmas Carol will open for previews at the Noel Coward Theatre from the 30th November and will continue to perform until the 30th January. For more information on the production then visit: http://www.achristmascaroltheplay.com/ .