When Charles Dickens’ novel “A Christmas Carol” was printed throughout Christmas week in 1843, it bought out earlier than Christmas Eve. As a play, it’s nonetheless a charmer, and Middle Repertory Firm’s present on the Lesher Middle in Walnut Creek, promoted because the longest working Bay Space “Christmas Carol,” is maintaining the custom in excessive spirits. There are fortunately few surprises in Cynthia Caywood and Richard L. James’ adaptation, a brightly lit, fast-moving manufacturing directed by Scott Denison: Michael Ray Properly performs Scrooge, the rich miser, with simply the correct quantity of unhealthy mood in his musings on the advantages of capitalism; and visitations by the ghosts of Christmas Previous, Current and Future serve to remind him powerfully of his misplaced childhood, his depressing current and a darkish future to come back. Additionally, the ghost of Scrooge’s enterprise associate Marley terrifies.
Michael Ray Properly portrays Ebenezer Scrooge in Middle Rep’s long-running “A Christmas Carol.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne)
My companions on the present, kids who’ve seen it in earlier years, had definitive feedback. Wes, 9, stated his favourite second was when Marley (Ok. Scott Coopwood) rises in chains from under the stage, a haunting determine bathed in clear inexperienced mild (additionally projected on the portraits in Scrooge’s lodging as properly), including extra ghosts into the combine.
Wes additionally appreciated Scrooge, noting his “good personality, good acting, and just enough forceful “‘humbugs!’” Elodie, a newly minted 13-year-old and scenic designer within the making, targeted on Christmas Previous, vibrantly acted by Kerri Shawn in a robe glowing with quite a few mild globes and “silver confetti lights that travel to the audience like explosions.” Each gave excessive marks to the Fezziwigs’ get together, awarded “best in show” to Terrance Austin Smith’s vivid and capricious Christmas Current, and agreed that Anderson Moore was a effective Tiny Tim.
All of us missed the eye normally given to the Cratchit household dinner, and the place was the boy despatched by the reformed Scrooge to buy the Christmas goose? Blink and one may miss “And a merry Christmas to us all!” Mark Twain referred to as “A Christmas Carol” “nothing but glittering frostwork,” however audiences proceed to go and luxuriate in it, and maybe take its message about financial inequality and human kindness to coronary heart. Middle Repertory Firm’s “A Christmas Carol” continues via Dec. 22 at Lesher Middle for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $49-$79 at centerrep.org.
