A VERY MERRY NIGHT OF CHAOS, CAROLS AND QUESTIONABLE SOBRIETY

By Tanya Howard | Founder, The Live Review London · @glamglitzlondon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

If you want a festive night out that throws the rulebook in the bin, sets it on fire… and then asks the audience to ring a bell every time someone needs more booze, A Pissedmas Carol is the one. I have seen Sh!t-faced productions before but their Christmas show was still on my list. The premise is simple; five professional actors, a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but one cast member is completely Sh!t-faced!

I always arrive wondering the same thing. How drunk is the drunk actor really. Are they smashed or performing smashed. It is the mystery that gets me every time. Our drunk for the evening was Ashley Gerlach in the role of Scrooge. Charles Dickens’ (Will Murfitt) explained the setup for the evening and revealed what Gerlach drank in the four hours prior to the show. A can of beer. A bottle of Prosecco. And almost half a bottle of gin.

THE CHAOS SPILLS OFF THE STAGE AND INTO THE CROWD

Did you think that was it? Oh no it’s not! Dickens’ follows up by handing out props to the audience. Christmas bells, a cracker, and a drum. Each one when sounded triggers a can of beer being given to Gerlach. There is also a bucket awarded to someone in the front row… that one speaks for itself. Murfitt is also responsible for keeping the show on track, sounding a horn when things go too far astray.

I took my friend Char who had never seen the company before. She loved it from the start. There is something about taking a classic everyone knows and completely ruining it in the best way. The festive season is full of Christmas Carol adaptations. So having one that leans fully into chaos and silliness feels refreshing. It’s rude and full of surprises but I won’t spoil it for you… Let’s just say it is not the vibe Dickens intended.

WHERE VOCALS, IMPROV AND THE CARNAGE ALL COLLIDE

The cast are very talented. They sing beautifully and somehow keep the story moving even when Ashley is doing everything possible to derail it. The improv from the sober cast is where the magic really happens. Some reactions feel prepared. Others arrive out of nowhere and you can see genuine shock on their faces. That mix keeps the show feeling fresh and unpredictable.

My favourite thing about the company is how committed they are to the bit. They trust each other and you can tell they enjoy the chaos. A Pissedmas Carol feels rowdy, but it also feels warm. Sometimes you just want a night of complete silliness. This is exactly that. A loud and ridiculous festive night out that will leave you smiling.

A Pissedmas Carol is the kind of show that knows exactly what it is. It is messy. It is joyful. It is very very funny. And it is perfect if you want to escape serious Christmas theatre and just watch talented people try to navigate absolute drunken nonsense. I would recommend trying to book a middle seat though. We were on the far left and missed a small corner of the stage. It didn’t ruin anything, but you do get a better view from the centre.

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Hamlet is running at Leicester Square Theatre until Sunday 21 September before going on a UK tour.

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Photo Credit: Andrew AB Photography