What do you get when you combine three ghosts, ruthless rival actresses, snappy showtunes, a bearded lady, and a handful of tinsel?

The Farndale Christmas Carol, playing Nov. 22 through Dec. 3.

Trinity Western University鈥檚 SAMC Theatre serves up a holiday favourite that proves disastrously funny.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a play within a play,鈥� explains actress Margaret Thorpe, a 91原创 Secondary grad.

鈥淪o you have the story everyone loves, but it鈥檚 told by the most accident-prone group of actresses you can imagine.鈥�

Thorpe plays an ailing actress who must perform roles like Bob Cratchit through a suffocating neck brace.

The show must go on 鈥� and it does 鈥� bringing to life dozens of colourful characters as the ladies madly change costumes,sing, dance, and crash into furniture.  Scrooge is in for the ride of her life.

鈥淭his spoof version of Dickens鈥� classic has become a theatre favourite, gracing stages all over the world and leaving torrents of laughter in its wake,鈥� says Lloyd Arnett, who also directed last season鈥檚 hit comedy The Foreigner.

鈥淔or the Farndale actresses, chaos is an art form.  Pretty much everything that could go wrong does,鈥� Thorpe adds.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a treat discovering the humour in the story of Scrooge, and enjoying some holiday stress relief, but at the same time telling the story of these well-meaning women who aren鈥檛 afraid to embarrass themselves in the spirit of Christmas.

鈥淎nd if that鈥檚 not fun enough, we get to have a snowball fight onstage!鈥�

Thorpe performs alongside Karyn Guenther, Daniele Neve, and Danielle Spampinato, with Benjamin Buckingham as the clumsy stage hand roped into playing nine different parts.

Playing Nov. 22 to Dec. 3 at Trinity Western University, Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.  Tickets range from $7 to $16 with 2-for-1 Tuesdays and special weeknight discounts.

For show information and tickets, visit www.twu.ca/theatre or email theatre@twu.ca.