Watch The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln Become Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Sneak Peek

The Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln transforms into Ebenezer Scrooge in a peek at Matthew Warchus’ production of Jack Thorne’s A Christmas Carol, the previously announced live stage play to be live-streamed from The Old Vic Theatre in December. The Rick Grimes actor — who has grown out his beard for the role of the humbug-howling miser — opens up about his stage performance at the historic theater in a new interview from the Old Vic: In Camera series. From December 12 through Christmas Eve, the Charles Dickens classic tale comes to life as a full-scale production with live musicians, theatrical lighting, and a cast of 18 performers led by Lincoln.

“Everybody knows this story because it’s about change, it’s about people’s capacity to change at any time in their lives,” Lincoln says in a released segment from the Old Vic: In Camera series. “And it’s about social responsibility, it’s about love, really. It’s the great unrequited love story, I think.”

Thorne, who scripted the John Boyega-starring Woyzeck as well as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, penned a version of A Christmas Carol that Lincoln calls “beautiful, spare, poetic but really emotional,” with an almost “Freudian insight” brought on by the “dark and brooding” presence of Scrooge’s father.

“Under normal circumstances, I would be in the audience this Christmas watching this production, because I’ve seen two out of three of the last years’ productions,” Lincoln said. “It’s this magical, beautiful, theatrical production, in my opinion. And I’ve become a complete fanboy for these productions.”

A look at Lincoln in-costume as Ebenezer Scrooge appears in the video above.

The cast joining Lincoln include John Dagleish (SYLVIA, A Christmas Carol 2017) in the role of Bob Cratchit and Maria Omakinwa (SYLVIA, A Monster Calls) as Mrs. Cratchit; Gloria Obianyo (Fanny & Alexander, Girl from the North Country) as Scrooge’s long-lost love Belle; McFadyen (MAMMA MIA!, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as the Ghost of Christmas Past; Michael Rouse (Romeo and Juliet, The Winter’s Tale) as Father/Marley; and Samuel Townsend (A Christmas Carol 2019, Harold and Maude) as Young Ebenezer/George.

Tickets are now on sale for the live-streamed version of A Christmas Carol, performed live from The Old Vic Theatre from December 12 to December 24. Only one ticket is required per household if watching the presentation together.

Follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter for all things TWD. The Walking Dead returns with new episodes early next year on AMC.