A Christmas Carol

Background

This project is a costume design for a Box Clever school touring production of A Christmas Carol (adapted by Michael Wicherek after Dickens). Grounded in Box Clever’s signature high-energy, accessible, and fast-paced ethos for young audiences, this contemporary adaptation reimagines Ebenezer Scrooge as a modern-day cryptocurrency trader operating in Canary Wharf. Designed specifically for school venues, the wardrobe solution balances narrative clarity, vibrant storytelling, and the extreme practical demands of a touring production—allowing three principal actors to dynamically morph between multiple roles through swift, impactful layer changes.

Design Process

My design process centered on translating the script’s contemporary social commentary into highly functional, highly symbolic costume pieces. For instance, Scrooge transitions from an understated, expensive suit reflecting modern corporate greed into a warm burgundy ensemble as he embraces the Christmas spirit, while Jacob Marley’s traditional heavy chains are modernized into an electronic tagging ankle bracelet. To accommodate the rapid multi-roling required by the school tour format, I prioritized intuitive, quick-change garment structures and distinctive accessory motifs—such as Ghost XP’s radiant golden headwear and Fezziwig’s quick-to-don hairpiece—ensuring each transformation is instantly legible to a young audience without slowing the show's momentum.