London’s Old Red Lion Theatre is taking its first steps into digital theatre with a brand-new filmed production, due to be released just in time for Christmas. 

Written and directed by Alexander Knott, December – inspired by the character of Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol – had been imagined as a live show for this year but will be broadcast online instead, running between 20 December 2020 and 5 January 2021. The production will be filmed in the venue’s auditorium and made exclusively available online. 

Talking to The Stage, Knott said that the concept of a digital offering from the theatre had been discussed during the first period of lockdown, and had come to fruition as a result of the second lockdown when it was decided not to stage December to live audiences. The show’s creative team then partnered with film-makers to adapt the production for an online audience. 

December is produced by Bag of Beard, which Alexander Knott is joint director of, along with Ryan Hutton who will star in the production alongside Freya Sharp. 

All profits will be donated to homelessness charity Hackney Winter Night Shelter. 

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