Phil Davis will play Ebenezer Scrooge in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of A Christmas Carol, a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’s festive tale by David Edgar.
Davis is known for his extensive television credits which include Riviera, Poldark and Whitechapel. He has had a long association with Mike Leigh and one of his most well-known parts was Stanley in the film Vera Drake.
His theatre performances include Bert’s father in Mark Hayhurst’s First Light in 2016 and Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw in 2010, both at Chichester Festival Theatre.
He also played Vassily in Philistines, Andrew Upton’s version of Maxim Gorky’s play, at the National Theatre in 2007.
The cast of A Christmas Carol comprises Nicholas Bishop (Charles Dickens), Tom Byrne (Slingshot), Gerard Carey (Bob Cratchit), Sally Cheng (Katherine / Belinda Cratchit), James Gant (father / coachman), Dinitia Gohil (Belle / Isabel / Lucy), John Hodgkinson (Fezziwig / Old Joe), Beruce Khan (John Forster), Verity Kirk (Mrs Baldock / Caroline / housemaid), Luke Latchman (Wicker), Bethany Linsdell (Martha / Amy), Emma Pallant (Mrs Cratchit / Mrs Snapchat), Vivien Parry (Lady Tibshelf / Christmas Past), Joseph Prowen (Fred), Giles Taylor (Marley), Sarah Twomey (Fanny / Jane), Jamie Tyler (Uber / doctor / second businessman) and Brigid Zengeni (Mrs Trowell / Christmas Present).
A Christmas Carol will be David Edgar’s first Dickens adaptation for the RSC since Nicholas Nickleby in the 1980s. Rachel Kavanaugh directs. Design is by Stephen Brimson Lewis with lighting by Tim Mitchell. Music is by Catherine Jayes and sound by Fergus O’Hare. Movement is by Georgina Lamb.
A Christmas Carol runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford from 27 November until 4 February 2018. Press night will be Wednesday 6 December.