A WONDERHEADS Christmas Carol is a retelling of the classic Charles Dickens tale as it’s never been told before.
There are 10-foot-tall puppets, glowing ghosts and performances that will make you laugh, cry, and be completely enthralled with this holiday favourite retold.
The production is unique in another way: there is not a word of dialogue spoken. Rather, the story transcends the need for words, evoking all the emotion of the original tale in the physical actions of the performers.
It’s a unique twist, but it’s also what Wonderheads does.
The magic began back in 2009 when Kate Braidwood and Andrew Phoenix came together to create a theatre company that specialized in full-mask, wordless and utterly magical performances with extraordinary results.
Their presentation of the Dickens tale is the latest of their productions which have included Grim and Fischer, LOON, The Middle of Everywhere, and The Wilds. These productions have often been described as living animations.
Michael Shamata, artistic director of The Belfry Theatre, describes A WONDERHEADS Christmas Carol as a “magical production.”
“It’s incredibly moving. I saw this production a few years ago and I was so impressed with their ability to tell this story without words. I fell in love with it,” he said.
The company has spent more than a decade touring their shows, travelling from Alaska to Hawaii to Shanghai. But no matter where they have performed, WONDERHEADS have found critical acclaim and sold-out audiences that have instantly fallen in love with the shows.
But despite their international success, including numerous Critic’s Choice awards and Best of Fest awards, the company still calls Victoria home.
“WONDERHEADS are a local company and they belong on our stage and should be seen by our audiences,” Shamata said.
A WONDERHEADS Christmas Carol runs at the Belfry Theatre from Dec. 2 to 23. For more information, visit wonderheads.com/awonderheadschristmascarol.