The Rose Theatre’s first Christmas production played to a packed house of celebrities and guests for A Christmas Carol.

The festive favourite, which is directed by the theatre’s artistic director Stephen Unwin, held a gala evening on Thursday, December 4.

Among the guests were Surbiton property developer Wahid Samady, who has financed the month-long production with his company CNM Estates, and stars of the stage and screen including Prunella Scales, Timothy West and Simon Shepherd.

The play, which also features 12 local children picked up after open auditions at the theatre in October, runs until January 3.

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