A performance where anything can happen
If you’re looking for a Christmas night out that’s equal parts classic storytelling and outrageous drunken chaos, A Pissedmas Carol at Leicester Square Theatre delivers exactly that—and then some, writes Luigia Minichiello.
Now in its sixth gloriously tipsy year, Sh!t-faced Showtime® returns with its famously unhinged twist on Dickens’ festive favourite, and it remains as riotous as the premise promises.
The concept is beautifully simple: take A Christmas Carol, cast a group of highly skilled musical-theatre performers, and then let one actor get genuinely, enthusiastically drunk before the show begins. The result is a performance where anything can and inevitably will happen. Whether it’s a sozzled Scrooge, a plastered Bob Cratchit or a tipsy Tiny Tim gleefully dragging the story off course, no two nights are ever the same, and that unpredictability is half the fun.
Presiding over the chaos is the evening’s ringmaster, who introduces the show and equips audience members with musical instruments to act as emergency “fail-safes,” sounding the alarm when the performance veers too far from Dickens’ original plot. He acts as a referee, keeping things vaguely on track while also refuelling Scrooge with regular libations and updating the audience on exactly what and how much has already been consumed. At one point, when he attempts to step in, Scrooge slurs, “It’s my show,” before promptly forgetting his lines yet again.
Whether the designated drunk is genuinely off his face or channelling a convincing Dean Martin impression hardly matters. The remaining cast gamely carry on, often powering through moments that make little narrative sense but remain consistently entertaining. Their ability to handle the chaos with razor-sharp improvisation is impressive, juggling singing, narration and damage control with speed and good humour as the merry troublemaker delivers a steady stream of slurred interruptions, rogue ad-libs and burping.
There are plenty of standout moments. When the charity collectors arrive at Scrooge’s office seeking a donation, he mutters that he “used to be a chugger” before taking up acting. Mad World accompanies a surprisingly effective flight with the spirits through Scrooge’s past, while the finale sees him embrace redemption to the unlikely pairing of Feed the World and Stay Another Day. Snowballs are hurled into the audience; participation is enthusiastically encouraged as this a playful production after all.
At the start of the night, the ringmaster asks who’s seen the show before, over half the audience raises their hands. The enthusiastic regular sitting next to me assured me it’s “always this funny.”
Producer James Murfitt describes the show as a celebration of “good old-fashioned drunken debauchery,” and that feels spot on. Beneath the chaos, there’s real craft, affection and theatrical skill on display. The cast line up for their final bow, flip the audience the bird, and stumble triumphantly offstage proving that Christmas spirit, much like Scrooge, sometimes just needs a stiff drink.
Leicester Square Theatre until January 4th.
Booking and full details: https://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/show/sht-faced-showtime-a-pissedmas-carol/
