Review: Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (Apollo Theatre / UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you look at the shows of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas yet to come on this website, you’ll find no shortage of reviews of productions based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Some are rich with festive cheer, while others are more of a humbug. Now, it is the turn of the ever-reliable Mischief Theatre to bless everyone with their distinctive take on the story, riding on the wave of an incredible year following the acclaimed The Comedy About Spies with Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Would this production continue the impressive winning streak of the Mischief team, or would this be the show where it all goes wrong?

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong sees the return of the Cornley Drama Society as they attempt to put on their own production of ‘A Christmas Carol’. As is so often the case with any production they put on, it doesn’t all go according to plan, with prop mishaps, unrehearsed actors and a battle for the leading role ensuring this is a version of the Dickens classic like no other.

Since the explosion of The Play That Goes Wrong, Mischief Theatre has enjoyed enormous success both on stage and screen, with two series of The Goes Wrong Show. That was preceded in 2017 by A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, which now makes it to the stage for the first time, hoping to repeat the success of their other seasonal favourite, Peter Pan Goes Wrong. With events from that play referenced, it almost serves as a sort of sequel… though looking for logic in a Goes Wrong show might be a thankless task.

The success of the “Goes Wrong” brand relies on the founders of Mischief Theatre; Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, who have once again teamed up to write this latest offering. 13 years since the debut of The Play That Goes Wrong, their schtick runs the risk of becoming stale and repetitive, but to ever accuse them of that would be to do them a massive disservice, as their creativity shows no sign of slowing down. Part of the genius in any “Goes Wrong” show is in how broadly that phrase can be spread. If you are expecting the stage to collapse upon itself, this is not a troupe who repeat their tricks. Yes, many things will still go wrong this time, but in weird and wonderful ways - many I didn’t see coming.

Lewis, Sayer and Shields have proven themselves to be masters of comedy time and time again, and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is no exception. Returning characters Chris Bean, Dennis Tyde and Robert Grove to name but a few, allow the trio to build on the now recognisable characters in new ways, but it is in the details of where else to find the comedy here that puts them in a league of their own. Without giving anything away, many of the show’s best jokes come at the expense of an early reveal of a model box of the stage. What happens in that brief and seemingly inconsequential moment has repercussions for the entire play. The genius is in how many of those details come back and how evenly paced it is. I did not see the incredible reveal of “Tiny” Tim coming, and that’s not even mentioning the best use of Maltesers you will ever see in a theatre.

The Mischief team know how to craft a joke, and knows how to land it just as well. This leads to a flawless hit rate, with a consistent sound of laughter from start to finish. Some other comedies may suffer from the odd misstep and awkward silences, but everything here is meticulously planned from start to finish, ensuring that there is no chance for anything to go wrong, ironically enough, and that includes the impossible failure of any gag.

Their genius is once again matched by regular collaborator Matt DiCarlo, whose direction finds the best ways to amplify the funny factor at every opportunity, leading to some of the more madcap moments of Christmas Carol Goes Wrong. Though the model box may go wrong, the creation of this stage certainly hasn’t, with Libby Todd coming up trumps with what is surely the craziest design idea she has ever had. Matched with a great use of costumes from Roberto Surace and lighting from David Howe that works, even when it doesn’t, this entire production is a masterclass in how to bring comedy to the stage exceptionally and faultlessly.

Many of the regular Mischief stars are back in this production, with Jonathan Sayer always a comic highlight as the slightly clueless but always lovable Dennis, and Henry Lewis once again delivering a gloriously over-the-top and unhinged performance as Robert. Daniel Fraser delivers a sensational turn as the relatively straight character, Chris Bean, brilliantly giving a slow-burning performance that makes the inevitable chaotic payoff all the better. Elsewhere, Nancy Zamit gives a scene-stealing turn as Annie, particularly when it comes to her turn to be a Ghost, and Chris Leask is an absolute standout as Trevor, leading to many of the funniest moments in the show.

You may think you know the story of A Christmas Carol - you really don’t. Similarly, you might know what to expect with Christmas Carol Goes Wrong - to an extent, you do, but prepare to be surprised as you won’t see some of these jokes and twists coming. Bringing Dickens’ tale to life in a way only they can, Mischief have struck gold once again in an utterly hilarious production. Though it doesn’t quite match the unrivalled brilliance of The Comedy About Spies, which remains as the funniest show of the year, in my opinion, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong certainly comes close and rounds off an amazing year for them as the star on top of the tree.

What I can say, however, is this is their strongest …Goes Wrong show since The Play That Goes Wrong and confirms that while many things go wrong for the Cornley Drama Society, nothing can ever go wrong for Mischief themselves. Nobody is doing it like them when it comes to comedy in theatre at the moment, and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is a further example of why they are the best in the business. A show so funny, even Scrooge would change his ways just to roll in the aisles watching it, if you are looking for a good hearty laugh in the West End this Christmas, look no further than the Apollo, and because a Mischief show is for life, not just for Christmas, you can catch this around the UK in the first part of 2026 - just don’t forget the Maltesers.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong plays at the Apollo Theatre until 25th January 2026. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/christmas-carol-goes-wrong-tickets

Photos by Mark Senior