A Christmas Carol review: ‘James Hyland delivers theatre at its finest in one-man show’ 

The one-man show of A Christmas Carol – As told by Jacob Marley (Deceased) could be summarised as a spellbinding watch, but it is also so much more. 

Adapted and performed by actor, James Hyland, I had the fortune of watching it on Monday (15 December) at Highgate’s Upstairs at the Gatehouse. 

I arrived feeling both sceptical and intrigued, as one-man shows I have previously attended have been somewhat painful to watch. 

However, in an energetic performance that never saw him remain in one place on the stage for long, Hyland delivered theatrics at their finest, effortlessly portraying every character in the 70-minute play. 

He evoked particular joy from the audience when playing the female characters, which he portrayed extraordinarily well. 

His portrayal of Mrs Dilber, for instance – Scrooge’s housekeeper who takes his bed curtains, sheets and even his shirt to sell following his death – was convincing, as were his depictions of Belle, nephew Fred and the Cratchit children. 

Actors have dressed and performed as other genders for as long as theatre has existed. Historically, when William Shakespeare’s plays first reached the stage, male actors would often dress as another gender to keep the story going, while in ancient Greek theatre, female roles were played by men. In Western opera, there are also long-standing traditions of singers being cast as any gender. 

His performance received a well-deserved standing ovation. Afterwards, I spoke with fellow audience members who were astounded by his ability to remember countless lines while remaining flawlessly in character throughout. I would recommend the show to everyone. 

Ahead of watching his performance, I had the chance to chat with James. 

He explained that his love of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novel, and his desire to be part of a production of A Christmas Carol, led him to write the play himself. 

An LGBTQ+ ally, James says his allyship influences his work, particularly in Dracula’s Guest, which some viewers have described as a gay interplay between Dracula and his prisoner. 

He notes that his plays often explore the theme of “identifying who we are by looking at ourselves truthfully”. 

“It’s very important to create a society where we feel we don’t have to censor ourselves in any way,” he says.  

Fluidity is a word he uses frequently; it’s something he embraces and believes is an element of all human beings. 

He has also played a gay character himself – Jarman in Jarman Garden – a role he says he was “fortunate” to take on. 

“I chose to audition for that because I wanted to learn about the great man, and to walk in the shoes of this particular gay person – to learn what’s like from their point of view.” 

He says he learned that the only real difference is “a preference” in who you love. 

“Embrace humanity as a whole and leave the judgement at home,” he concluded – advice he believes the Ghost of Christmas Present would wholeheartedly endorse. 

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.