Interview: Steve Marmion on A Christmas Carol: The Pantomime

Watford Palace Theatre‘s panto this year remixes Dickens with a local accent. Michael Lambourne plays Scrooge, Terence Frisch‘s Dame Dilber doubles as all three Ghosts of Christmas, and Lakesha Cammock is the reggae-loving Jakebob Marley. Steve Marmion, who wrote the show and is the theatre’s CEO and Artistic Director, tells Red Bus Londinium that the bones of Dickens are all still there, alongside the super soakers.

Red Bus: Dickens’s Scrooge is a very London miser, and yours is “the grumpiest Watfordian in town”. How do you give a story this well known a proper Watford twist without losing the Dickens underneath?

Steve Marmion: The bones of Dickens are all there: a man who has shut himself off from other people has to learn how to join in again. The Watford references make it ours. It should feel as though this story is happening down the road, with people you recognise. And I think we all recognise the grumpy men with a bit too much power. It kinda wrote itself…

Red Bus: Terence Frisch’s Dame Dilber plays all of the Ghosts of Christmas. How did that idea come about, and how does it shape the pace of the show?

Steve Marmion: The Dame is Scrooge’s long-suffering maid and there is an outside chance she’s arranged the whole evening to teach Scrooge this long overdue lesson. Having the Dame play all three ghosts gives Scrooge absolutely nowhere to hide! It also gives Terry (Terence Frisch) three very different ways to torment him. The transformations are part of the fun of the dame.

Red Bus: Jakebob Marley is Scrooge’s reggae-loving former colleague, and the show promises pop hits and big vocals. How do you choose songs that work for a child at their first panto and for the adults beside them?

Steve Marmion: The most fun part of writing panto for me is choosing the songs. You need a real mix. I aim for one per decade (60s onwards), one from the current year and one you didn’t know you needed back in your life! TikTok has made a huge difference here as there are all sorts of renaissances for songs. Skyfall makes an appearance this year and I think we’ll see a lot of younger audience members recognise it.

Red Bus: Every ticket is a flat £25, and there are relaxed performances on 9 and 13 December and a captioned and audio-described performance on 27 December. Your own website says you want to make theatre for people who don’t traditionally go. How does that thinking shape the way you plan a panto?

Steve Marmion: Panto can be someone’s first experience of theatre. We want them to feel welcome, understand what they’re booking and have a brilliant time. Price and access matter as much as what happens on stage.

Red Bus: Dickens’s story has real depth, with poverty and a second chance, and panto has to stay joyful. How much of that seriousness do you let through, and what do you hope families take home with them?

Steve Marmion: Dickens is funny, angry and full of heart. He’s also in an unfair world where times are hard for the vast majority. We don’t lose that. The serious bits give the joyful bits even more joy. Scrooge changes because he starts to see other people. That’s a pretty good thing for a family to take home, alongside the songs, the wet clothes from the super soakers and the very special gags.

Booking details

Show: A Christmas Carol: The Pantomime
Venue: Watford Palace Theatre, 20 Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 1JZ
Dates: Sunday 29 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027
Price: Flat rate of £25 for every ticket (group rates and membership discounts do not apply)
Age suitability: The whole family
Access: Relaxed performances on Wednesday 9 December and Sunday 13 December at 2.30pm. Captioned and audio-described performance on Sunday 27 December at 2.30pm. Wheelchair spaces and companion tickets are available.
Book tickets: https://watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/events/a-christmas-carol-the-pantomime/

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