THEATRE REVIEW: A Christmas Carol - at the Festival Theatre, Malvern, from Saturday, January 9 to Saturday, January 16, 2016.

THE hit festive record from the garishly clothed pop group Wizzard had Roy Wood proclaiming, rather loudly - ‘I wish it could be Christmas every day’.

Well, if he cares to venture into Worcestershire right now he’ll not only get his wish partly granted, he will also be able to witness an absolute Christmas cracker of a show.

It did appear to be a touch unusual venturing out into a cold, wet January night to see a play about Christmas, especially with that magical day having gone by a fortnight before! A booking error? An oversight? A gamble even? Or were we simply being granted the wish for it to be Christmas every day?

It certainly seemed like it and there’s nothing wrong with wishing for that seasonal spirit to be around 365 days a year when you consider all the ills there are in the world at present.

Wizzard's record was a hit as long ago as 1973 but Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story takes its audience back even further in time to 1843 with this latest adaptation by Katherine Senior, who plays several roles, geared to provide quite a bit of laughter, fun and song. It also retains the message Dickens was keen to portray about the plight of those without or with very little - although well blessed in spirit and compassion, and those with - along with greed, forgiveness and salvation.

The production is a collaboration between the Devon-based touring theatre company, Creative Cow, and Exeter’s Northcott Theatre and while they, and many of the cast, may not be that well known away from the West Country they showed they have an all-round quality deserving of wider recognition.

It was lively, appealing and thoroughly entertaining with the added bonus of some fine music and delicious voices, especially one particular rendition of that moving carol, Silent Night.

One of the more well known names on stage was Derek Frood, who played Captain Bray in BBC1’s Poldark. His stylish portrayal of the central character, the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, was top drawer, capturing the necessary grumpiness and then the joy of a second opportunity in life offered by the ghostly visits of Christmas past, present and future.

Around him were any number of other outstanding performances with several playing a number of roles - I counted seven in the case of Katherine Senior, with others not far behind including Edward Ferrow whose prominent part was Bob Cratchit.

The show makes ample use of a fairly simple set and bright pulsating lighting, the latter considerably in evidence during the bedroom visit of one of the spirits, and overall it all worked well. And what also helped this two-hour treat rattle along at a fair old pace was the use of narrators to keep a hugely appreciative audience abreast of events.

It’s a first class family show but parents should be aware that the dark forbidding ghost of Christmas Yet to Come might startle any quite young offspring.

It would be great to see this charming and captivating production back at Malvern later this year, preferably this time in the run-up to Christmas as it really is guaranteed to put you in the right ‘’spirit’.

That said, it was still great to enjoy a little Christmas overspill - even though we all know it can’t be Christmas every day!