Those expecting a traditional take on Charles Dickens’ classic holiday perennial may be in for a shock at the new Broadway version of “A Christmas Carol.” Or at least they might be terribly perplexed by this dour production, whose additions only subtract from the potency of the transformative tale.

While there have been many adaptations — from solo shows to musicals to ghostly imaginings — most stick pretty close to the storyline and character arc of the tightly crafted original. But this import from London’s Old Vic — here starring Campbell Scott — would certainly have Dickens scratching his noggin.

Killing Tiny Tim in the present and not in the maybe-future? That’s just one of many wrong-headed, time-warping misinterpretations in this new version, conjured minus any magic by playwright Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”).

At least there’s a festive holiday air created by the singing actors before the show begins, with Christopher Nightingale’s lovely period music and the handing out of clementines and cookies to the audience. The end, too, echoes that communal spirit, with director Matthew Warchus pulling out all the bells and whistles — especially the handbells. It’s the in-between that’s cold and disorienting as a wasteland, and not just because of Ron Howell’s dismal set, which, save for a plethora of hanging lanterns, has little sense of place or purpose.

In that anonymous playing space, Dickens’ tale is told largely in story-theater fashion by members of the ensemble. But his “ghost story of Christmas” is bereft of a true haunting that would make for a soul-shaking experience. 

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