A look behind the scenes of our recent Arts Council funded tour of
London hospitals, cancer centres and care homes with my adaptation of A Christmas Carol!
Featuring Victoria Adler, Amy Floyd, Emma King-Farlow, Belle Quinlan, Sarah Robinson & Alice Hope Wilson.
This Christmas, our theatre company embarked on a heartwarming tour of London hospitals, cancer centres, and care homes with our production of A Christmas Carol (which I first adapted back in 2019,a few months before the pandemic), thanks to the generous support of a grant from Arts Council England.
Over the festive season, we brought live theatre, music, and storytelling to those who needed a little extra cheer, visiting places like Charing Cross Hospital (elderly care, neuro-rehab, stroke, and other wards), The Mulberry Centre, Maggie's Cancer Support Centre, the Teenage Cancer Trust, Viera Gray House, Lynde House, the Royal Variety Charity’s Brinsworth House, and local charities such as FiSH and Age UK in Barnes.
Our tour didn’t stop at Christmas - after a hectic run of eight shows in six days leading up to the holiday, we then returned for more performances after Christmas, starting again on December 27th, and wrapping up at Maggie's on January 6th, Epiphany.
It has always been important to Shadow Road to bring theatre to those who might not otherwise have the chance to experience it - and never has that been more important than at Christmas, a time when it’s especially easy to feel left out or forgotten if you’re ill, living alone, or in hospital. Live theatre has a unique ability to create moments of connection and joy - and we were privileged to share that magic with so many incredible people this winter.
One particularly touching moment happened at Charing Cross Hospital, where we met Peter, a dementia patient who had spent six months in hospital, rarely engaging in activities (according to the staff who looked after him), and often appearing quite withdrawn.
Yet as soon as the show began, Peter lit up! He sang along with the carols, immersed himself in the story (even providing a bit of running commentary, to everyone’s delight! 😂😍), and couldn’t stop smiling. His transformation was so remarkable that numerous staff members gathered in the corridor outside to watch him watching us and marvel!
At the end of the performance, Peter posed for photos on our set, wearing one of our top hats - and when we returned to the hospital the following week, the staff brought him up to the 8th floor just so that he could watch the show again.
There were numerous other moments like these throughout the tour - each of which reminded us why we do what we do, and underlined just how powerful the Arts can be in bringing people together and lifting spirits. 🎭
With the tour itself over and all our own match funding now raised, there is only a feedback session with the cast, and a lengthy report for the Arts Council, left to go!
We cannot thank the Arts Council, all our wonderful supporters, and our fabulous cast enough for making this whole tour possible. THIS is why we do what we do. It was very hard work, but couldn't have been more worth it. An utter joy and a privilege.
Here's to doing it all again for Christmas 2025...
