Scrooge - the musical, Upper Clatford Village Hall, Sunday December 2 to Saturday December 8

Bah humbug! If the thought of Christmas turns you into a bit of a miser then the forthcoming production by Burdock Valley Players should help lift your festive spirits.

The amateur group, who have won numerous awards in the Andover Drama Festival, are performing ScroogE - the Musical at Upper Clatford Village Hall during the first week of December.

Written by prolific song, screenplay and stagewriter Leslie Bricusse, who also penned classics such as Willy Wonka, Dr Doolittle and the James Bond hit Goldfinger, this musical is based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Unusually, the stage play was written after the memorable film which starred Albert Finney, Sir Alec Guinness Dame Edith Evans and Roy Kinnear.

For Burdock Valley Players, this is the first time they have ever staged a musical. Director Lyn Woods admits this is an ambitious production with a script containing nearly 50 characters, but the cast is rising to the challenge.

"The group normally has a summer break, but this year we carried on working so that we had more time to get to grips with the musical rehearsals," she says.

With so many characters and more than 20 children's roles in the show, most of the cast are doubling, which keeps the adrenaline flowing. Taking on the demanding role of Scrooge, who was first played in the stage production by Anthony Newley, is Martin Gillott who is on stage virtually all the time.

"This is a very lively production which sticks close to the spirit of the original. It has lots of movement and many fine choreographed songs, including that well-known hit for Anthony Newley Thank You Very Much. adds Lyn.

"Although a musical, it is still essentially a ghost story and we have worked hard to build an eerie atmosphere."

Profits from this show will go to an annually-selected charity yet to be decided.

Scrooge - the Musical runs from Sunday 2 December to Saturday 8 December with matinees on Sunday 2, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 December. Tickets cost £5 and are available from Andover Tourist Information Centre on 01264 324320.

New members, young and old, are always welcome. Call into Upper Clatford Village Hall any Tuesday evening.