Charles Dickens's festive classic, A Christmas Carol, looks set to get Beijingers into the seasonal spirit this month as Scrooge and co take to the stage. The play, performed by 30 English-speaking expat actors, met with loud applause when it debuted on December 1.

Set in 1900s London, the iconic story begins with people wishing each other season's greetings on Christmas Eve in 1843. A black curtain dotted with snowflakes forms the stage background, helping to depict a chilly but happy winter setting. Two basic rooms are built on each side of the stage. In one sits rich boss Ebenezer Scrooge as he supervises his clerk Bob Cratchit who is finishing up the day's shift.

Clad in a neatly cut suit, Scrooge is so annoyed by the kind wishes from his poor neighbours, beggars, children and his nephew Fred, that he uses his stick to scare them away.

"I really enjoyed Daniel Cotterall's performance, presenting Scrooge's change in psychology after his lessons with the spirits," said director Chris Verrill.

Thanks to the smoke, lighting and sound effects, all the spirits appear on stage as if by magic. The Ghost of Christmas Past is the sweetest of them all. A small girl dressed as an angel, she leads Scrooge through a visual tour of his childhood.

The Ghost of Christmas Present appears suddenly, in a specially designed costume, which is one difference between this version and others, according to Verrill.

Wrapped in black, the Ghost of Christmas Future is silent throughout most of the play, communicating only through mysterious body language.

As well as New Zealander Cotterall, the cast includes actors from China, Australia, Canada, France, Bangladesh, India, Niger, the Netherlands and Indonesia, all of whom speak fluent English and co-operate well with each other as they sing, dance and skip across the stage.

The cast were picked from 70 applicants who attended the auditions in September. They are from all walks of life and are a mixture of theatre veterans.

"This is a little Christmas gift for my family and the audience," said Sylwia Jurczynska, a mother whose young daughter has a role in the show. Jurczynska said they were enjoying the chance to work alongside people from across the world. Her husband helps out backstage.

This is Verrill's fourth production of A Christmas Carol. In the past he has directed the show in the United Kingdom and the United States. It will be staged at Beijing City International School every weekend between December 1 and 24.

"If you have seen A Christmas Carol back home, this will be the same happy family show here in Beijing," said Verrill with a smile. "Well, almost."

In English with Chinese subtitles. 250 yuan.
Time: 7:30pm, Dec 15, 16, 22, 23, 2pm, Dec 17, 24
Address: the new theatre at Beijing City International School, 1.5km south of the Dawanglu subway station. Call 137-1890-8922, or write to performance@beijingplayhouse.com.