How satisfying is it when a classic you knew and went to see merely out of a sense of duty turns out to be almost thrilling?
Stand back: Here comes A Christmas Carol.
Of course the original is wonderful – the book, I mean. Just the scene of the Cratchit’s Christmas dinner alone is enough to make someone (ahem) read it aloud even though there’s no one else at home. The play has been done time and time again.
Forget that. Go to the Rep and fall into a wonderful semi-post-Victorian lushness. Yeah, sure, it’s grimy London and the fog machine is doing its thing. But the version brought to us by artistic director Hana Sharif is a sight to behold. Costumes. Music. Choreography. Add to that talented acting and charming kids, and pat yourself on the back for choosing to go.
The Rep has partnered with COCA to bring in young pre-professionals who auditioned for the show – there are two separate casts of them to spread the fun out. They’re a delight and perform up to the standards expected on this stage. Our Scrooge is Guiesseppe Jones, a little fierier and more agile than the average miser. His inevitable warming at the end gives out a more believable glow than usual, too. Armando McClain is the long-suffering Bob Cratchit, playing the role with more subtlety than is often seen in the saintly father.
One of the first clues that this isn’t the same old thing comes when Scrooge is awakened the morning of Christmas Eve by his housekeeper, and it’s Michael James Reed in drag, saluting the old tradition of the British Christmas pantomime. Reed also plays Jacob Marley. There’s quite a bit of multiple role casting here; J. Samuel Davis is one of the charity solicitors and a delightful Fezziwig, for instance, and Raffeal Sears charms as both nephew Fred and Scrooge as a younger man.
Tre’von Griffith, music director, gives us some wonderful harmony from the group, and Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s choreography ranges from modern dance to hip-hop. There’s plenty of song and dance without it actually being a musical, things moving along rather organically. It happens on a set that takes full advantage of what the Rep has, from the brick wall in the back to pop-ups downstage, using Tim Mackabee’s handsome work. Costumes designed by Dede Ayite work particularly well given the sets – pay particular attention to what the Spirit of Christmas Present is wearing.
An eminently satisfying evening, enough to keep even a critic from muttering, “Humbug!”
A Christmas Carol
through December 23
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts
130 Edgar Rd., Webster Groves
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