Scrooge

A misbegotten musical adaptation of Dickens' much too perennial tale, featuring songs by Leslie Bricusse that are not only anaemic but piffling in their up-front relevance ('I Hate People', 'I Like Life', 'I'll Begin Again'). Even Dickens would surely have blenched when Tiny Tim, hugging a manifestly unnecessary crutch, hobbles up to simper blessings on us every one, and to brighten the Cratchit Christmas by singing of 'The Beautiful Day' he hopes is just around the corner. Finney, in a balding wig, mugs abominably as Scrooge; the dances are full of energy but not noticeably choreographed; and the colour (musty brownish for the Scrooge-and-poverty scenes, garishly tinselled for the Christmas fantasy visions) is variable to say the least. Some slight relief is afforded by cameos from Guinness (looking like a camp pixie as Marley's Ghost), Edith Evans (regally quavering in scarlet robe as the Ghost of Christmas Past), and Kenneth More (vastly bearded and militantly jolly as the Ghost of Christmas Present).