A Christmas Carol

OVO bring A Christmas Carol back to The Barn in Verulamium Park from 4 to 30 December, their fifth season of the Dickens classic. It's a 60-minute promenade performance, which means you don't stay in one seat — you move through the space as the story unfolds, following Ebenezer Scrooge as he meets the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The action stays close and immersive rather than being watched from a distance, and it's designed for both adults and children, so it works as a family outing.

This version is adapted and directed by Mark O'Sullivan, who's reworked it specifically for The Barn. It's the festive finale to the venue's inaugural season, which also includes Macbeth and The Winding Stair.

The Barn itself has a bit of a story. It's a 17th-century, grade two listed threshing barn first mentioned in 1692, bought by Commodore Henry Killigrew — whose father and uncle were theatre producers in the time of Charles II, and whose son Thomas Killigrew built the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. OVO restored it into a 120-seat live performance space, raising £930,000 to bring it to life. The company's founder and artistic director, Adam Nichols, calls it the latest example of their 'Free Range Theatre'.

There are 66 performances across the run, with shows at 4:30, 6:00 and 7:30 pm. Tickets range from £15 to £34.50.