Scrooge gets taught a lesson (From Gazette Series)

Scrooge gets taught a lesson

COCKNEY charmer Shane Richie (aka Eastenders' Alfie Moon) weaved his way into audiences' hearts in Bristol this week, despite playing the tight-fisted original Scrooge of Christmas.

The loveable star, who millions took to their hearts as Kat Slater's hapless love interest in the BBC 1 soap, took a few scenes to convince us of his miserly meanness but it didn't take long for the boos to kick in.

Shane's make-up and costume disguised his usual boyish good looks and turned him into the old grouch Charles Dickens intended.

And whilst he is not the most sensational singer ever to take to the stage, he has all the wit and comic timing an actor needs for this type of Christmas show.

But Shane was not the only star on the night - other notable performances came from rising Welsh star Anthony Stuart Lloyd as the larger than life incarnation of the ghost of Christmas present as well as singing and dancing talent Ben Wheeler as Tom Jenkins, who leads Scrooge's impoverished neighbours against the miser.

This is the perfect festive panto-but-not-really-a-panto family show complete with moral message and jolly good cheer. It tells of Ebenezer Scrooge, who keeps his money under his pillow at night and whiles away his lonesome hours counting his coinage. But underneath his bad temper and Bah Humbug diatribes is a sad and regretful man who eventually, with a little help from three determined phantoms, realises the error of his ways.

What follows is a scene fit for a Disney director as Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning a changed man, ready to deliver presents to all and sundry, particularly his long suffering employee Bob Cratchit and his crippled son Tiny Tim.

Shane obviously enjoyed opening night at the Hippodrome as he clapped and danced about furiously with the cast - to rapturous applause - as the show came to a rapid end.

But his appreciation of the series which rocketed him to soap stardom was graciously noted as he graced us with a final goodbye and a call for a "taxi to Walford, anyone?".