"This is Christmas. Miss this and miss the point of the Season again."

~richbynamebut

​

"Hello James, I was privileged to have been present last week for your performance at the Theatre Furnace Llanelli last week of The Christmas Carol. May I say that I can only say that what I witnessed was an outstanding performance, of an incredible magnitude of an actor whose performance cannot be measured, of a talent that is beyond words. Your acting within the role of Marley brought the character to life for me as I can only say, that I felt that I had been transported back in time and was indeed there with Marley experiencing each movement that he did and clung onto each word that he spoke. Your performance was indeed outstanding of which I want to congratulate you in every possible way in making one of my favourite Dickens Works come to life for me. Thank you so much for making my night so special. Take care and may I wish you every success and much happiness for 2024. Kind regards, Antony."
~Antony Chappell

"Absolutely brilliant! Saw it last night and you were fantastic. So much energy! 👏"
~@live_pray_eat_love

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"We didn’t know anything about you or the performance until we walked past the pub today and booked online. Now we know... and we won’t forget tonight... powerful stuff. Thanks James."

~John & Susannah Molland

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"Last night, I had the absolute pleasure of watching @jameshylanduk one man show of A Christmas Carol - as told by Jacob Marley (Deceased) at Ffwrnes Theatre. What a brilliant, mesmerising performance. Absolutely outstanding and flawless story telling of a classic. If you haven’t had chance to see it - DO! My poor Year 11 GCSE Drama pupils today had me waffling on about it whilst they should have been devising - oops."
~Rebecca, @rrowlandsgeorge          
        
"Another captivating, mesmerising and emotional evening spent with Jacob Marley (Deceased) courtesy of @JamesHylandUK@BrotherWolfUK Simply breathtaking!"
~Richard, @Cdynion

"We saw you first in the Studio Stepney, a few years ago, and were completely spellbound by your retelling of a Christmas Carol. We both wondered what you would bring to a bigger stage, and larger auditorium. Your physicality and characterisation were even more astonishing and powerful, as well as emotional. Thank you so much for such a wonderful show. Merry Christmas."
~Andrea Kemp Ogleby

"James. My wife Megan and I were awestruck with your amazing performance in Ffwrnes theatre tonight... Thank you."
~Andy Longville

"Superb performance at the Ffwrnes Theatre this evening. Absolutely mesmerising. 👏👏👏"
~Lucy Knight

"Watched your performance in Llanelli this evening. Wow!! Incredible! Didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't you single handedly captivating the audience for an hour and a half! So very impressed. Congratulations!!! 😊"
~Debbie Price

"What an incredible performance by the multi award winning actor JAMES HYLAND TONITE AT THE FFWRNES THEATRE. Over 300 seats sold."
~Carys Awen Jones

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"Absolutely brilliant performance. Thank you!!! Words are not enough."

~Brian Jones

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"This evening we watched A Christmas Carol at the theatre in a one man show. It was utterly spellbinding, powerful and beautiful. Highly recommend. Fabulous work. We brought our three children and they were mesmerised."

~Rachel Wood, @rews_apothecary

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"Wow, what can I say?? I was mesmerised from start to finish. Outstanding performance!!!"

~Claire Jordain

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"Totally captivated by your performance last night. Brilliant."

~Daniel Davies

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"Yes, it was quite astounding tonight."

~Justin Case

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"Your performance was super entertaining and I really enjoyed the different perspective. You took a well known and slightly overused story, put your own unique touch on it and made it something new! The love and passion you have for your work shines off you! Thank you!"

"Thank you for coming, you are really talented."

"I liked how you brought the characters to life."

"It was so amazing how you looked and played the characters, you did so good. I would love to watch more of you, thank you for your time."

"I loved the performance and how you pulled it all off. You were great!"

"I enjoyed it."

"You are very committed to your role."

"I found it interesting how you changed characters."

~Students at Hospital and Outreach Education

 

"Still the most riveting piece of theatre I have ever seen!"
--Richard, @Cdynion

 

"Many thanks for visiting our school last week and for putting on your outstanding, individual performance of your A Christmas Carol. Thank you also for your kindness and sensitivity towards our students and their various needs. We thought we'd share with you some of the students' comments:"

"I loved how well you played all of the characters and how you kept me entertained and kept eye contact with the audience."

"I loved how all you used was a chair and, honestly, I need some makeup tips. You portrayed each character and their body, facial, voice and personality were all different."

"You used a rage of dramatic effect, and added a comedic effect to parts to lighten the mood.'"

"I liked the way you projected your voice."

"Cool dude."

"It was interesting to watch you switch between characters."

"It was fun to watch to be fair."

"'I really enjoyed it and hope to see you soon!'"

~Member of Staff and Students at Hospital and Outreach Education

"Amazing performance - one of my favourite adaptations of A Christmas Carol, so atmospheric and perfectly told... we were blown away by how brilliant the production was."
--Amy Williams

"Hi James, just saw the production in Crewe and just want to say it was a great show. You really brought the story to life. Good luck with the rest of the tour mate."
--Andrew Lewis

"You were brilliant."
--Iain Goodwin 

 

"Firstly, I just wanted to say well done on your performance yesterday! You portrayed the characters amazingly and I don't know how on earth you managed to remember all them lines. You are an incredible actor and as an aspiring actress myself I really looked up to how expressive you were and how you changed your voice and used various volumes when acting out the different parts. Before yesterday I didn't really understand the story completely, but now my memory is refreshed and I feel reassured. Two days ago I would have been really apprehensive to do any of my English work but now I feel like I can try and that's because of how well you recreated the story. My favourite parts were when you went into the past, present and future because I like to see the different parts of Scrooge’s life. It was very affective doing it alone and you portrayed all the characters amazingly."

~C, Student at Hospital and Outreach Education

 

"What a 'tour de force' your performance was last night in Trimley! Absolutely riveting. My husband and I came and were so impressed... thanks again for a truly memorable night."

~Laura Chapman

 

"I enjoyed it"

"It was emotional"

"It was exquisite"

"Thank you for your enthusiasm it made it feel like we were in the  room with Dickens' characters"

"It was good and funny"

"He's so talented"

" It was really helpful"

"It helped me so much with understanding the story"

"Loved it! Very good at putting on different voices. Very scary when you walked in but I loved it. Thank you"

"Thanks for the amazing performance you was amazing"

"Thank you your performance was amazing"

"Thank you it was a great performance"

"Thank you, I loved it especially how realistic it was. Chilling and breathtaking".

"Terrifying"

"Very physical and mesmerising to watch"

"Spellbinding"

"Brought it to life"

~Students at Hospital and Outreach Education

 

"Absolutely blown away by your performance of A Christmas Carol last night at the Platform, Morecambe. As a regular theatre goer it ranks as one of the finest I have ever seen. Bravo."

~Terry Davies

 

"Wow, what a performance. Thoroughly enjoyed your show. Absolutely nailed it!"

~@Lassaylass

 

"Thank you so much for a wonderful evening! Your performance was absolutely amazing! My wife and I love A Christmas Carol and this is the best version of it we have ever witnessed. We reckon Mr Dickens himself would have heartily approved! You made us smile, you made us cry and you sent us home really looking forward to our modest but precious family Christmas celebrations. May you yourself find that this Christmas brings you peace, joy and love. Thank you once again and Merry Christmas."

~Kevin Reid

 

"Fantastic show"

~Judith Andersen

 

"Outstanding performance. Thank you"

~Elizabeth Kwasnik

 

"Brilliant...Thoroughly enjoyed."

~Charlie McGregor

 

"Fantastic. Well done... Keep doing what you're doing"

~Rob Morrison

 

"This is the most exciting, most thrilling Christmas show ever! See it or cancel Christmas."

~@Cdynion

 

"A must see... Highly recommended. Such a powerful atmospheric performance."

~Tracey McCaffrey

 

"I am Joint Head of English at Hospital & Outreach Education in Northampton. We were lucky enough to bring our Year 11 students to see your unique production of A Christmas Carol at Kettering Arts Centre last December. The students were studying A Christmas Carol for their GCSE and it was lovely to watch you bring it alive for them... Some of our students had never seen a live performance before and it was fantastic to see them mouthing your lines along with you when they recognised the quotes they had been memorising for their exams. All of the students and staff thoroughly enjoyed your performance and I wanted to thank you on their behalf."

~Sadie Hawthorn

 

"We went to The Hawth Theatre to see your show. Didn't know what to expect as we had never seen a one man show before. We thoroughly enjoyed your portrayal of all the characters, as obviously the rest of the audience did as well. We were enthralled by your performance. We hope to see more of your work in the future. Once again, thank you for a very enjoyable evening."

~Judy and Graham Babiel

 

"I just wanted to say how much my wife and I enjoyed your captivating performance at The Hawth, Crawley this evening. Thank you."

~Philip Reilly

 

"I never take my husband to The Hawth. Not really his thing, but we both enjoyed A Christmas Carol. It was amazing... But you as an actor, the way you play each character, was the best I've ever seen. Keep up the great work that you do. Very best wishes to a beautiful person."

~Anita and Kevin Anderson

 

"Dear Sir, We were at the Taliesin Theatre on Thursday 20th December and greatly enjoyed your performance as Jacob Marley. The theatre was almost full with a number of young children. No-one moved or made a sound during the whole of your mesmerising performance. To perform as you did for almost ninety minutes is remarkable and you fully deserved the standing ovation which you received at the end of the play. We meant to write to you sooner but Christmas and the New Year are busy times. Very Best Wishes for 2019."

~Pauline & Michael Stroud

 

"Tonight’s performance was excellent, funny and moving -  Tracey and I both really enjoyed it. I was really impressed by the way you managed to create a whole cast of characters with the subtlest alterations of facial expression, body language and voice."

~Paul McCaffrey

 

"Spent the evening watching James Hyland's wonderful adaption of A Christmas Carol, told by Jacob Marley's ghost. Truly a superb bit of storytelling, evoking Dickens' own readings and the tradition of ghost stories at Christmas... The entire audience was hooked from beginning to end, eerily silent, as we watched a single, terrific actor somersault between characters. The storytelling had us hooked, how I imagine live readings would have been."

~@IzzBatman

 

"Bloody hell, James, what a spectacular preformance. We were blown away! Absolutely incredible... I was so captivated. xxx"

~Layan Larry Boosh Nourouz

 

"Just a quick line to thank you for this evening's performance at Kettering. Immersing stuff, providing a memorable night out that sparked much debate between my wife and myself about the deeper meaning of the play. Will catch up to see another of your performances in the future for sure."

~Carole and Stefan Nycz

 

"Just saw you at The Mill, performing 'A Christmas Carol - As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)'. The whole audience was rapt, your performance was amazing. Thank you!"

~William Coyne

 

"Thoroughly enjoyed this, super impressed, my teenage nieces thought it was brilliant."

~Ange Hughes

 

"Great show #christmascarol @TheMillBanbury @jameshylandUK bringing my daughter’s English reading to life!"

~@mrsyewtree

 

"A fantastic retelling of A Christmas Carol by @JamesHylandUK at @TheMillBanbury - even if he did roar at my daughter! Christmas has now started..."

~@stuartlemon

 

"Absolutely brilliant! I cannot recommend this show enough - the simplicity yet strength in delivery simply blew us away."

~Nicky West

 

"James, I was transported this evening to my childhood days when we gathered around the teacher for storytelling time. Leaning forward, eyes transfixed I'd listen to the wonderful tales. My mind would take me to wherever the story took place and I would sit as still as a statue. Who would ever think at 56 years of age it could ever happen like that again, but it did! Your performance was wonderful and as you reached the part with Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim my eyes welled up with emotion. Your characters came to life in my mind, I could see them so clearly. My husband agreed, he too thoroughly enjoyed feeling as if he were sitting in a Victorian parlour on a festive Winter's night. You have a truly amazing talent, thank you. Merry Christmas!"

~Jan and Paul Tooley

 

"Saw this tonight - it was fantastic!!! Such a talented actor - really had a great night! Thank you very much."

~Mandy Neal-Smith

 

"Totally agree with my wife... I really enjoyed it. Quality performance, James. Top man."

~Roy Smith

 

"Fabulous! What a great night and a great actor! Thank you for a lovely evening!"

~Jean Neal

 

"Last night I went to see my friend James Hyland’s show ‘A Christmas Carol’, and was completely blown away by his performance! What a mesmerising and terrific show. You’re such a versatile and talented actor! First time I was moved by a theatrical play. I highly recommend it if you fancy watching another kind of Xmas Carol."

~Sarah Sayuri Hare

 

"This is a superb performance by a talented actor."

~Rambling in Ireby, @In_Ireby

 

"I saw 'A Christmas Carol - As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)' on the sun-kissed Isle of Sheppey the other night. What an incredible, mesmerising and, at times terrifying, one-man performance. James Hyland, a patron of the Sheppey Littlle Theatre, has the uncanny skill to grip the audience from chain-clanking start to chain-clanking end."

~John Nurden, Senior Reporter at Kent Messenger

 

"Once again James Hyland (Brother Wolf) gave a fantastic performance of 'A Christmas Carol - As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)'. A really gripping retelling of this old favourite."

~Janys Thornton, Sheppey Little Theatre

 

"Saw a performance of this last night at Theatrau Sir Gar. James Hyland, a major talent - spellbinding."

~Terry Clarke

 

"Just saw 'A Christmas Carol'. Wonderful! We were all waiting for you to come back and take another bow! :) I feel very lucky to be able to see you here. Walking out, the audience was singing your praises."

~Kay Morgan

 

"What an amazing performance, thank you very much James and co... Merry Christmas to you all :)"

~Laura Anne Lee

 

"James you were quite simply incredible. Loved every second - roll on the next! It was so good to speak with you at the end... Congratulations X"

~Carys Rhys Jones

 

"On behalf of the club I'd like to give you a huge thank you for a great performance last night. It's been one of our most successful evenings... Best wishes and thanks again."

~Anne-Marie Marks

 

"Excellent telling of 'A Christmas Carol' by James Hyland last night. A powerhouse of a performance."

~Naila Scargill

 

"Though I saw this a few years back it is without doubt the most exceptional piece of theatre I've seen. Totally brilliant. Please come back to Tunbridge Wells."

~Julie Milner

 

"Wonderful adaptation, great show! *****"

~Catherine Somers

 

"An amazing one-man show that's not to be missed. I have had the pleasure of seeing the force of nature that is James Hyland in action multiple times and 'A Christmas Carol - As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)' is one of the best. Fast-paced, erratic, disturbing and horrifying. Never quite sure what will happen next, it will have you on the edge of your seats... Start your christmas off with a scare."

~David Paul Williams, Front of House at Theatrau Sir Gar

 

"We are recent converts to your performances. The first time was at the Sheppey Little Theatre in November this year, 2016, and last night at the Marlowe in Canterbury. Outstanding performances and looking forward to your next venue in Wimbledon. Best of luck in everything you do."

~Ian and Janet Underwood.

 

"Just caught your Christmas Carol at the Marlowe - my wife and I were spell bound! Thank you for such a great show."

~Gilles Guthrie

 

"Was absolutely amazing, loved it!!! Was a joy to watch. Hope to see you in the future."

~Rebecca Dalton

 

"An absolutely fantastic performance... well done!"

~Pamela Headley Brown

 

"What a terrific performance you gave in 'A Christmas Carol - As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)' last Friday in Barton. We were spellbound and couldn't stop talking about it all weekend. We will always remember it. It is the best adaptation of the famous Dickens story we have seen. You have a unique and brilliant talent and it has been a real privilege to witness this firsthand. Thank you so much."

~Jane and Tony

 

"For those of us that love this timeless and heart warming festive story, this production is a must! James Hyland was captivating and quite brilliant in his solo portrayal of all the key characters whilst telling the tale as Jacob Marley. True to the book we left the theatre with a 'feel good factor' ready to enjoy the true 'spirit' of the season."

~David and Sue Walker

 

"We just wanted to thank you for your wonderful presentation of 'A Christmas Carol' last night. Wow, what a magnetic performance. However do you remember all the words? Your characterisation is remarkable. Your audience was transfixed from the very powerful entrance to your departure from the stage... certainly no 'humbug' performance. Such a great start to the Christmas period and a great up-lifter, and evoking such a variety of emotions. So, a big congrats and thanks (but hope you DONT actually break a leg). Looking forward to your next production around here."

~Mary and Alan White

 

"I saw this in Barnsley last year, absolutely amazing... Such a performance - mesmerising is definitely the word!"

~Katherine Sanderson

 

"On behalf of the fellowship at Bromley Common can I thank you for giving your time and talent to perform 'The Christmas Carol' for us on 22 December. Your brilliant performance will be remembered for a long time to come and has enabled us to bring help to those on the streets of Bromley this winter. Thank you again. Every blessing."

~Sandra Boreham on behalf of Bromley Common Baptist Church

 

"Just a note to thank you for your amazing interpretation of 'A Christmas Carol' which we enjoyed so much. I hope that the excellent feedback reached you, as the enitire audience found it as thrilling as we did... Many congratulations and thanks again."

~Lynne and Mike Woodie

 

"Amazing emotional performance by James Hyland tonight. True meaning and spirit of Christmas well and truly in my heart now :) x"

~Sarah Brabbin, Wedding Photographer

 

"Just home from seeing this in Barnsley... absolutely amazing, such a fantastic performance!"

~Katherine Sanderson

 

"Excellent one man show tonight - A Christmas Carol."

~Lynn Dunning, Museums/Archives Manager in Barnsley

 

"Just felt the need to congratulate you on your performance this afternoon. Me and my wife came along to watch the show... we were treated to a very powerful performance in what can best be described as a masterclass in acting. We were enthralled from the moment you made your entrance until you left the stage. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon which will be remembered for a long time. Many Thanks."

~Sid and Margaret Dalling

 

"Thank you ever so much... it was fantastic... we were spellbound...You made the story really captivating... The story really spoke to me powerfully too, as to how God's Spirit and angels work in our lives for good...You truly are a gifted man."

~Reverend David Wood, Bromley Common Baptist Church

 

"We wanted you to know that we really enjoyed yet another fabulous performance... We hope that you have a lovely Christmas and once again would like to thank you for a lovely evening. PS: Not sure how your performance will influence my step daughters upcoming performance as sign post No 1 in her school production of Alice in Wonderland!!!!! But she was certainly mesmerised and fascinated by your abilities."

~Kym Marsh

 

"Saw you in Tunbridge Wells tonight. Absolutely brilliant. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Do hope you come back to Trinity."

~Julie Milner

 

"Thank you, my son and I enjoyed this amazing storytelling of the Christmas Carol. As my son said, 'The way he came in was really scary!!!'"

~Martina Geiger Underwood

 

"Truly amazing acting... Just back from a fantastic night at Kettering Arts Centre. Wonderful one man performance by outstanding actor James Hyland. This one-man show A CHRISTMAS CAROL - AS TOLD BY JACOB MARLEY (DECEASED) was just amazing. He just drew you in to the story and kept your attention for 1.5 hours with wonderful character acting."

~Mike Pettit

 

"Enjoyed your performance tonight in 'Christmas Carol' very much, spellbinding. Thank you."

~AJM

 

"Fantastic, enjoyed every minute!"

~Paula Hearn

 

"A truly awesome performance... James Hyland is phenomenal."

~Sue Cartwright

 

"Wow. James Hyland was brilliant - a captivating and chilling performance which had left me feeling distinctly Christmasy!"

~Cassy Fry, Animate Arts Company

 

"Marley was a brilliant show! I lost count of the number of characters you brought 'to life', but each one was so clearly drawn. The costume and make up were fantastic, and the single chair used as set seemed to take on it's own character. One member of the audience has, on each of three occasions that we have met since the show, told me how aboslutely mesmerising she found you to be as the ghost of Marley, and how gripping she found the telling of the story... I thoroughly enjoyed being able to be involved in such a brilliant show. Theatre at it's best. Thank you."

~Linda Rogout, Lighting Designer

 

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you for last night – both of us enjoyed ourselves immensely. He was brilliant, breathtaking and believe it or not I actually had a tear in my eye at one stage. His performance emoted my senses so vividly it was strange... what a magical experience!! Sheer wonderment, I felt like a child again!!”

~Mark Kneen

 

"My husband and I were privileged to be in the audience for 'A Christmas Carol' at the Ropery Hall, Barton on Humber, on Friday 7th December. A spellbinding performance of a much loved story. It was an unforgettable experience to be there and we thank you and The Rope Walk at Barton for making this possible. We hope that you will make further visits to this venue and enable those of us far from the metropolis to experience this exceptional standard of theatre."

~Sheila Holt

 

"WOW!!! Thanks James / Jacob (deceased), for a fantastic evening at the Ropery. That was a most magnificent performance... quite unlike anything I have ever seen. Truly brilliant. Thank-you xx"

~Claire Davis

 

"Saw your performances at the Kings Theatre, Portsmouth and just wanted to say how great they were. I can truly say they were amongst the best shows I have seen in all my 64 years... Good luck with the tour."

~Graham Dean

 

"Sir, It was a privilege to be present at last night’s performance at the Cornerstone. Sometimes it can be a disadvantage that our usual seats fourth-row-back are so very close to the performance area compared with other venues but occasionally it brings an intimacy that is nearly overwhelming. It was very affecting and totally spell-binding. I see from your web site that you have a number of Dickenses in your repertoire. Please could you schedule more visits to Didcot? This is what live theatre should be all about! I do thank you. Happy Christmas!"

~Derek Rees

 

"Excellent - really enjoyed it."

"Superb acting - very convincing."

"Admiration for such a superb one-man act."

"Very intense - don't know how you do it!!

"Absolutely amazing! Brilliantly performed."

~Audience Members, Cornerstone Arts Centre

 

"I just wanted to say I watched both of your shows today at the Kings Theatre and I was so impressed, I thought you should know. Your take on A Christmas Carol was so wonderful, which is my favourite Christmas story and I have seen numerous times so I just wanted to say thank you, for both scaring me with your choice of costume and inspiring me. I hope you'll return this way at some point again, soon."

~Tash Jones

 

"My husband, myself and my two children came to see your production of 'A Christmas Carol' last night at St Georges Hall in Liverpool... We loved your make-up, costume design and your ability to switch characters so quickly and cleverly. It was truly captivating and we would certainly be recommending the show to others... It is so nice to see an alternative production and, by the way, my son gave you 9.5/10 and he does not give marks away easily. My daughter loved the way that you had done your eyes too. Would love to see you do another one man story interpretation in the future."

~Alison, Neil, Aidan and Megan

 

"Saw you last night in 'Christmas Carol'. That was one awesome performance. An astonishing piece of theatre. Must see more of your work. Absolutely brilliant... Would love to see 'Fagin's Last Hour'. Dickens together with your astonishing acting would be theatrical heaven."

~Suzanne Cartwright

 

"We saw the show at the Artrix last night and wanted to thank you! That was serious and ferocious work - physical, voice, emotional, so we want to thank you for truly honest labour. AND of course, you nailed it for this old cynic, because the eyes were wet when they should be... God bless you, every one!"

~Paul Georghiades

 

"Seen your performance in Barnsley tonight. The tickets were bought as a Christmas present for a large group, all of mixed ages and mixed theatre going backgrounds. The performance was inspired and truly wonderful. It was enjoyed by all. Congratulations on your excellent work. We look forward to our next opportunity to see one of your productions."

~Rose Naisby

 

"We are a couple of sixty year olds, (the relevance of that being we've seen a lot), who went to your Chelmsford performance of 'Christmas Carol'. I simply wanted to say 'wow, what a talent'. Curiosity drove me to check out your biog online. Amazing it is, the actors craft. So thank you Mr Hyland for a great start to our Christmas. Happy holidays and wishing you a hugely successful career on the boards and on screen."

~Peter and Mary Chapman

 

"A brilliant and attention grabbing performance, we really enjoyed the performance. Thank you."

~Charles Payne

 

"I just want to congratulate you on last night's performance at the Cramphorn Theatre. It was superb and I was spellbound. I love Dickens and 'A Christmas Carol' is my favourite. It was a very clever idea and must have been exhausting. I do hope you return to Chelmsford next year with Your version of Oliver Twist. Thank you for a very enjoyable evening."

~Phyllis Lakin

 

"We came to see your performance of 'Christmas Carol' and we just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed your absolutely fantastic performance - we did not expect a one-man show, and for one person in our party it was the first time in the theatre - we all loved it, what an ingenious interpretation of a classic... All the best for the future - we shall certainly look out for your name!"

~Ursula, Ali, Julie and Keith

 

"Fantastic, really enjoyed the performance, thank you."

"Wonderful, so communicative."

"Very, very good. As good as any West End show."

"A memorable performance which we really enjoyed."

"Very strong performance, totally involving."

"Brilliant performance of Dickens... very enjoyable."

"Excellent, spellbinding, very enjoyable evening."

"Probably the best piece of theatre I've seen - certainly here - well done."

"Excellent performance - very absorbing and powerful."

"Fabulous - how he does it I do not know."

"Absolutely riveting - gripping. Thank you."

"A great piece of theatre - very impressive."

~Audience Members, The Undergound Theatre

 

"If Dickens himself could, through some ghostly encounter, be seated with us in the audience, witnessing this spectacular re-telling of his seasonal classic, he would be a happy man indeed. If he were to be told that plans for his bicentenary celebrations were in the accomplished hands of the terrific James Hyland, he would be even happier still."

~Brian Roberts, Member of The Dickens Fellowship

 

“You are a wonderful performer. I was transported away with you.”

~Anne G

 

"Breathtakingly good… thank you."

"Really good, faithful to Dickens: brilliant."

"Fantastic – thank you."

"AMAZING! Everyone should see this before Christmas!"

“Excellent – very spiritual, reverential and moving.”

"THANK YOU. INCREDIBLE WONDERFUL ACTING ALIVE!!! XX"

"A terrific performance, true to the spirit of Dickens, thank you."

~Audience Members, The Old Town Hall Theatre

 

"My wife and I have just come from your performance of 'A Christmas Carol – As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)' given at the Blake Theatre in Monmmouth. Just wanted to say how much we both enjoyed your performance and to congratulate you on your superb one man rendition of what is my favourite Dickens tale."

~Bob Boulter

 

"I've just come back from your wonderful show 'A Christmas Carol' in Canterbury.

You are a great actor!"

~Anna Maria

 

"I saw James' performance, as told by Jacob Marley, at the Oldham Coliseum two weeks ago and was blown away by his performance. I managed to get a front row seat, luckily. I remember feeling every heavy laden step he took whilst unburdening himself of Marley's chains. Then envisioning the wonderful canvas of settings and characters, feeling joy at Scrooge’s humility and spiritual liberation into a man of compassion and awareness of his past treatment. A fantastic evening, one I shall cherish. I hope to see many more productions by James."

~John Richard Burke

 

"What to say? Such a humbling experience talking to such a wonderful man about the process of the performer: from writer to producer to director to actor, James has what us mere mortals can only dream of. James took the time out (after travelling three and a half hours by train!) to speak to four Drama students at Edge Hill University on his process so far in the performance arena. How inspiring it was to meet such a star performer (and I mean a SHINING star!) with such a humble attitude who spoke to us all with care and consideration in the question and answer session. James was extremely informative and supportive in our own performance ventures and gave us a few handy tips to pursue to begin our journeys in our careers. This was all after an hour and twenty of extreme physical exertion! ‘A Christmas Carol – As told by Jacob Marley (deceased)’ was one of the best productions that has ever graced the Rose Theatre’s stage. James is what we all aspire to be; a true character actor that engages the heart of the role through a wide variety of physicalities and vocalizations, moving from character to character seamlessly. The audience gave a standing ovation, and rightly so. A one-man production that commanded our attention wouldn’t let us go until Jacob’s time was at an end. I speak from a student’s point of view but I think more than students will admire the work of James Hyland and wish we had an inch of his talent. To take the words of Mr Robbie Williams... “Mr Spielberg, look just what you’re missing!” If anyone is in any doubt of watching one of Brother Wolf Productions’ work I would advise you get your tickets quick and be prepared to see a master performer. One that we all hope to emulate! Keep Shining!"

~Philip McGuinness, Drama Student

 

"Excellent performance last night, James. Really enjoyed it. You have a rare talent."

~Jeremy Hollinworth

 

"I saw your incredible performance at St George the Martyr Church in London last weekend and just had to drop you a line. I have seen a couple of other one-man versions of the classic seasonal tale, including Sir Patrick Stewart's, and yours ranks right up alongside that for entertainment, excitement and originality... congratulations on a fantastic show"

~David Stone

 

"How kind it was James for you to come and share your skill and passion with us... so much energy... such a powerful script. You have amazing gifts! I don’t just mean your acting, the portraying of many very different characters, but the gift of writing a beautiful script… one of our congregation who attended was saying how much she enjoyed the performance, she had obviously been moved considerably… during the performance I found myself smiling, fearful and with plenty of goose-bumps… the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Thank you, James, for working hard for people who, for whatever reason, find themselves to be homeless in this area... a few hundred pounds goes a long way"  

~Tim Clapton, Parish Administrator, St George the Martyr Church

 

Saw 'A Christmas Carol' last night, what a wonderful performance by James Hyland, we were enthralled from start to finish, I cannot recommend this highly enough, but there's not many shows left!"

~Adrian Lovatt

 

"We felt you missed your standing ovation due to the lady fainting at the end of tonight's performance. It was fantastic, thank you"

~John, Emma, Moira and Brian

 

"Harrogate theatre today... A FANTASTIC performance!... Had no idea what to expect... Just WOW! Thankyou :)"

~Jen Thingybob Haddy

 

"Just a note to say many, many thanks again for your performance of 'A Christmas Carol' on behalf of Care for the Wild International in Brighton yesterday. Everyone really enjoyed your adaptation of this classic story, and as always your support for the charity is very much appreciated and cherished."

~Mark Jones, Fundraising Director, Care for the Wild International

 

"I saw your show at Darlington and thought I'd drop you a line to say I thought it was brilliant. 'A Christmas Carol' has been a favourite of mine for many years and I usually read the book in the run up to Christmas. Your production did the story full justice and brought it to life wonderfully. I wondered if you had considered videoing it onto DVD; I would certainly buy a copy. I hope you will tour with this production in future years.Thank you for a wonderful evening's entertainment."

~Neil Tredwell

 

"We thoroughly enjoyed your adaptation - I was totally captivated from the moment you clanked through the curtain until you donned your chains at the end of the tale - brilliant!  Thank you also for encouraging the audience to sign the petition to prevent the closure of our arts facilities which would be a sad loss indeed to the culture and heritage of Darlington... I've enjoyed looking through your website and will certainly look out for your works in the future"

~Viki Allan

 

"We were absolutely spellbound by your performance and our teenagers remained still and silent for the full 75 minutes. It was the perfect complement to what was going on in the Rochester streets outside as well as a timely reminder of what Christmas is all about. Thank you."

~The Austin and the Johnson families

 

"What a great show last night! Loved every minute of it, and the acoustics in St Luke's Church (the biggest and tallest parish church in London) really gave it an eerie and mesmerizing quality. Can't wait to see it again"

~Jason Ramsay, Property Developer

 

"Brother Wolf's 'A Christmas Carol' is visceral and terrifying and James Hyland's extraordinary performance is a master-class in physicality and vocal expression, bringing to life the characters and text of Dickens' masterpiece with devilish wit and compassion. Storytelling at its best, this is a wonderful evening of empty space theatre for the twenty-first century."

~Diana Hillier, Theatre Director

 

"James's performance in the first show of the new run was electrifying... James completely dominated the space. Considerable physicality and strength underpin his technique and (dammit) he makes it all look ridiculously easy...The large audience (some as young as 7) were completely captivated from first 'til last. Bravo!"

~David Young, Director of Development and Finance, Alleyn's School

 

"I was captivated by the whole show. The ultimate in storytelling; compelling and imaginative. Pure stage brilliance. From start to finish Mr Hyland’s performance is the best one-man show I have seen, and in many years."

~Darren Enright, Actor

 

"James returned to Alleyn's to perform his one-man show on the stage of the Michael Croft Theatre before an audience who were amazed by James's virtuosity and skill at conveying a host of characters from Dickens' 'Christmas Carol'."

~Susie Schofield, Head of Alumni Relations, Edward Alleyn Club

 

"Absolutely gripping, amazing for one bloke and no props. Also, it gave me the opportunity to explain to the children about Dickens and how his stories were written to be told or read in instalments. I was a bit worried that it might not hold their attention but I was SO wrong. You were great, thanks."

~Cath Leng, Parent

 

"James Hyland fixes his audience with Marley's basilisk stare and never relinquishes his hypnotic hold for a moment. It's a remarkable achievement - protean acting at its best - and brings Dickens' well-known story to life in ways that are consistently vibrant, surprising and stimulating."

~Jonathan Rigby, Series Consultant on BBC2's 'A History of Horror'

 

"I would describe James Hyland's performance of 'A Christmas Carol' as prophetic, visionary, and marked by a peculiar sense of political timeliness and spiritual insight."  

~Reverend Daron Medway, St John’s Church, Penge

 

"Mr Hyland was mesmerizing as Jacob Marley who returned from hell just this once to tell this beloved story to us himself. Mr Hyland displayed his wide range and solid talent as he took upon the various characters of this Christmas tale."

~Mari Rettedal-Westlake, Creative Producer, The Space

 

"The students were raving about the performance and thought it was wonderful... Many staff members came up to me at lunch and said how good the performance was... [James Hyland] has given many young people (and staff) a glimpse into Dickens which they will carry with them for the rest of their lives... the true meaning of Christmas."

~Diane Evans, Chaplain, Bishops Wood Grange School

 

"The opening wherein Jacob enters struggling to bare his chains... then painfully removes them was utterly absorbing and totally believable. Every nuance of his pain was expressed and conveyed, every grunt, groan, moan, flinch, gasp, swallow and grimace reached its audience and amplified his suffering. Wonderful... The storytelling was dramatic and captivating, each character portrayed brilliantly and overall I left feeling I had an experience to remember for a very long time, as Jacob insisted, I shall remember... So thank you for an excellent evening James. You blew me away sir"

~Andy Davie, Novelist/Screenwriter

 

"a terrific production of 'A Christmas Carol’… a master-class in acting.  It's one of the best productions I've seen. I was in tears through some of it, the very mention of the name Cratchit sets me off."

~Linda Large, Actress

 

"I thoroughly enjoyed your performance. It's a very nice piece and was enthrawling. Loved your character changes and cameos. Very effective. From what I heard everyone was blown away by it."

~Frank Scantori, Actor/Director

 

"the delivery was very captivating"

"staggering entertainment"

"a fantastic show"

~Audience Members, The Space

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