Fresh ‘Christmas Carol’ still spreads joy
Ebenezer Scrooge, the crotchety anti-hero of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” has become as ubiquitous during the holidays as Elf on the Shelf and Mariah Carey.
Alastair Sim set the bigscreen standard in 1951. Bill Murray played him as a cynical TV station boss in “Scrooged.” He’s been adapted by The Muppets and Mickey Mouse and Barbie. For the record, the best is “A Diva’s Christmas Carol” starring a deliciously nasty Vanessa Williams. (Don’t @ me.)
As Scrooge, David Rainey doesn’t veer from tradition in the Alley Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” But he does bring a fresh charm to the well-worn character. Rainey, who has been with the Alley for 23 seasons, fully embodies Scrooge, from his walk to his wry smile interactions with others. It’s clear that Rainey took time to understand Scrooge and why he behaves so terribly. It makes his transformation all the more satisfying.
The Alley’s current version was adapted by artistic director Rob Melrose and introduced last year. He excised some of the previous version’s scarier aspects and leaned into the original story’s seasonal spirit. Parents, this one’s much less likely to scare your kids.
The tale as old as time follows Scrooge as he undergoes a life-changing transformation. One minute, he’s barking at Bob Cratchit for trying to keep warm with an extra piece of coal in the hearth. The next, he’s doling out cash for sides of pork and becoming a de facto grandpa to Tiny Tim.
Aside from Rainey’s confident performance, the show’s success lies largely with the ghosts that inspire Scrooge’s change of heart. As the Ghost of Christmas Past, Elizabeth Bunch flits about the stage as if she’s been sprinkled with fairy dust. It’s a charmingly kooky performance enhanced by some onstage trickery. Shawn Hamilton is fittingly regal and flamboyant as the Ghost of Christmas Present. His green and gold gown almost steals the show. The Ghost of Christmas Future, as always, is an impressive melding of actor (Luis Quintero) and technology.
The cast as a whole is uniformly terrific, with a few merry standouts. Jeremy Gee’s Mr. Fezziwig, with his shock of orange hair, has enough charm for his own show. (The role is normally played by Todd Waite.) Chris Hutchison is satisfyingly scary as Marley, Scrooge’s deceased business partner.
Director Melrose cleverly uses dollhouses to create scenes and evoke memories. He has also incorporated much more music into the production and narration between scenes from characters. You know how the story goes, and now it’s that much more fun getting there.