The Royal New Zealand Ballet presents the Lotto season of <BR><B>A Christmas Carol</B><P>The team that brought you the sell-out sensation of Peter Pan returns with a classic production that will captivate and enchant. Choreographer Russell Kerr, composer Philip Norman and costume and set designer Kristian Fredrikson have joined forces to bring this festive Charles Dickens tale to life. <P>Using classical dance, drama and humour the three spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas to Come tell the tale of Scrooge's transformation through love and humility. <P>More information at <A HREF="http://www.nzballet.org.nz" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nzballet.org.nz</A> with dancers' diary, cast list and tour dates.

<B>A Christmas Carol at the Aotea Centre</B><BR>07.12.2001 By BERNADETTE RAE <BR>The New Zealand Herald<P>Russell Kerr's interpretation of Dickens' most famous Christmas tale is a bit slow off the blocks. It is all murky grey streetscape, dim lighting and heavy, brown Victorian costuming. Kerr has tried to brighten the grim reality of Victorian London with the introduction of the pantomime clown Grimaldi, who certainly provides a splash of riotous colour. <P><A HREF="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/entertainmentstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=231914&thesection=entertainment&thesubsection=arts&thesecondsubsection=reviews" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

<B>Ignore Dickens' social concerns at ballet's peril</B><BR>John Daly-Peoples, The National Business Review<P>In the Royal New Zealand Ballet's latest production, although lip service is accorded his ideas, there is little sense of the misery and despair of Victorian England. Nor is there any real sense of character.<P><A HREF="http://www.nbr.co.nz/search/search_article.asp?id=1135&cid=0&cname=Results" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A>

<B>Sets, costume and lighting add to atmosphere</B> <BR>13 December 2001, Waikato Times. <P>A Christmas Carol, by the Royal New Zealand Ballet, at Founders' Theatre, Hamilton last night, reviewed by Rosemary Robertson. With only 12 more sleeps before Christmas anyone still feeling a touch of the Scrooges had better get along to the Royal NZ Ballet's final night on tour with Russell Kerr's adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.<P>This dramatic and theatrical production relies as much on set and costume design as on choreography. Kristian Frederickson's sets and costumes reveal his wide experience in theatre and television design, while lighting adds significantly to the atmosphere.<P><A HREF="http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/index/0,1008,1040051a1905,FF.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More</B></A><BR>