Rep ‘Christmas Carol’ is a convincing transformation
As Scrooge’s agonizing journey into the light makes clear, change can be devilishly hard.
That’s among the reasons so many people who saw the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s new edition of “A Christmas Carol” last year weren’t crazy about it. It was different; they missed the beloved, long-running adaptation by Joseph Hanreddy and Edward Morgan because it’s all they knew.
That said, part of the problem last year was that for all its strengths — a stunning, dramatically lighted storybook set; a fresh, cinematic score; new costumes; and, yes, falling snow — this new “Carol” still needed work, particularly in its call-and-response attempts to break the fourth wall and engage the audience.
Credit “Carol” adapter and director Mark Clements with making some smart adjustments.
The changes better square with Dickens’ story and they enable a much stronger performance from Jonathan Wainwright, in his second year as Scrooge. Opening Friday, the result is a “Carol” which — much like Scrooge himself — is able to exorcise ghosts of “Carols” past and stand on its own.
This year, there’s much less soliciting of audience feedback regarding whether the story should take a particular direction.
Even more important, almost all the asking for our affirmative “yes” this year is done by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Deborah Staples) and Present (Todd Denning), who now “freeze” the recalcitrant Scrooge when asking the audience’s blessing to go on. We become the spirits’ accomplices in changing Scrooge.
It never made sense for Scrooge to be both the curmudgeon we first meet and someone who’d want to make conversation with an audience; Wainwright was clearly uncomfortable assuming this task last year and it threw him off his game.
This year, Wainwright drives home how fully Scrooge likes being alone. Spared the task of winning the audience’s cooperation, he can afford to be meaner and even more isolated in the early going.
Scrooge’s more protracted dramatic arc also makes for a more convincing transformation. And, crucially, it makes Scrooge’s newfound lease on life all the more intoxicating, resulting in joyous Christmas scenes between Scrooge and Mrs. Dilber (Angela Iannone), Fred (Jesse Bhamrah) and Cratchit (Reese Madigan).
Only at this late point in the story does this year’s Scrooge — filled with Christmas spirit as Fred and his wife emerge from church — first directly engage the audience.
“Should I ask them if I am still welcome to come to Christmas dinner?” Of course, we answer “yes”; at this point, we’re unreservedly on Scrooge’s side.
It comes as no surprise when we learn soon thereafter that Scrooge was never again visited by spirits; inspired by love, he no longer needs them to light his way or make contact with others.
Much like this adaptation, a man who always had the potential to be better has fully arrived, fulfilling the promise that was always there.
“A Christmas Carol” continues through Dec. 24 at the Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. For tickets, visit milwaukeerep.com. Read more about this production at TapMilwaukee.com.