CRITICS’ PICKS

THEATRE

What: A Christmas Carol Where: Belfry Theatre When: Until Dec. 17 Rating: Five stars If all you want for Christmas is Yuletide perfection, don’t miss the Belfry Theatre’s magically arresting revival of the Charles Dickens classic. Director Michael Shamata’s darkly atmospheric adaptation is noteworthy for many reasons, not least because of its wondrous stagecraft that is sure to appeal to theatregoers with even the shortest attention spans. The icing on this seasonal treat is Tom McBeath’s pitch-perfect, richly nuanced performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, matched by the contributions of first-rate, impeccably costumed cast in sync with a message that couldn’t be more relevant in today’s tumultuous times. — Michael D. Reid, Times Colonist

MUSIC

What: Funk the Halls with the Funk Hunters When: Friday and Saturday, 9 p.m. Where: Capital Ballroom (formerly Sugar), 858 Yates St. Tickets: $25 at Lyle’s Place, and Ticketweb.ca Why: The annual Christmas tradition by DJ heavyweights the Funk Hunters will attract a large crowd, with two shows on tap this weekend. Special guests Mat the Alien and DJ Pump will open the Friday night show, while Frase is up first on Saturday. The combinations are such that the Capital Ballroom will be the go-to spot for dancefloor destruction this weekend. — Mike Devlin, Times Colonist What: The Emily Carr String Quartet with guest host Robert Holliston When: Saturday, 11 a.m. (coffee and tea, 10:30 a.m.) Where: Pacific Fleet Club, 1587 Lyall St., Esquimalt Tickets: $25 at the Royal McPherson box office (250-386-6121), Ivy’s Bookshop, eventbrite.ca, rmts.bc.ca and at the door

Why: Under the banner of Music: Inside Out, this educational lecture and performance series will examine great string- quartet masterworks. The esteemed Emily Carr String Quartet will join guest host Robert Holliston on Saturday to explore String Quartet No. 1 by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, which he composed after becoming deaf. Fascinating stuff, and worthy of a closer look. — MD