Kent Halsey
The presentation of a familiar work challenges any theater company, and few dramatic works in the English language are as familiar to audiences as A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens’s famous tale has remained an essential part of Christmas tradition since its publication over 150 years ago. How can anyone hope to avoid a tired retread when performing such a commonplace work? They can learn from the example set at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater.
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of A Christmas Carol offers a creative and vigorous rendition of the time-honored story. Director Joseph Hanreddy works from a script he co-adapted with writer Edward Morgan in 1998. Their adaptation retains the traditional feel of Dickens’s writing while fleshing out some plot details and trimming away excess weight.
The result stays respectful to the source material, keeping intact all of the beloved lines which audiences can’t help but quote mentally as they watch. At the same time, this version expounds on some of the story’s details, deepening themes such as the emotional connection between Scrooge and his late sister’s son, Fred. We witness a foreshadowing of the future when businessman Jacob Marley visits young Scrooge at Fezziwig’s shop and extends the partnership offer that changes Scrooge’s life.
The climactic scene in which Scrooge sees a vision of his own tombstone has been tweaked; here he watches in horror as two gravediggers carelessly dump his body into a common burial pit. This ignominious fate lends a unique and frightening twist to the original version.
Just as welcome as these additions are the minor subtractions which are made. Some superfluous dialogue has been cut from the script in order to maintain a brisk pace, though nothing major was removed. Most viewers will be hard pressed to spot the deletions, but the cumulative effect propels the action.
One significant change for the better involves the relocation of Scrooge’s visit with Fred at the end of the play. Rather than joining the Christmas day party at Fred’s house, Scrooge enters a church, nudges his way into a row and joyfully sings along with the carols to the shock of his fellow pew-mates. Here the uncle and nephew share their familiar reconciliation, but the setting powerfully enhances the scene.
Most importantly, all of the additions to the script blend naturally with the classic Dickensian dialog. Hanreddy and Morgan matched the style of the original script, and their material never breaks the illusion with inappropriately modern phrases. The writers show great skill in mimicking Dickens’s trademark humor, and even those viewers familiar with the original may not realize some of the jokes are new.
James Pickering, a mainstay of Milwaukee stages who has played Scrooge many times at the Pabst, turns in a solid, if slightly underwhelming performance. He avoids the trap of playing Scrooge as a deranged lunatic, but in doing so he errs slightly on the safe side; too often he stands around listlessly while the visions unfold before him. His post-transformation Scrooge, however, glows with the giddy laughter that we expect from the character.
The rest of the cast features superb depth. Bob Cratchit is portrayed by Lee E. Ernst, who infuses the clerk with appropriate warmth. Jonathan Smoots impresses in his dual roles as Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Present. He proves memorable first as the chilling specter and later as the jovial spirit, using his booming voice with equal success for both characters. Grant Goodman’s sprightly Fred is witty yet kind-hearted. Strong actors fill out the remaining roles without a single letdown in the bunch.
The remarkable set design deserves praise for its inventiveness. Windows of interior scenes give glimpses of passersby in the street, filling the background with bustle and energy. Painted outdoor backdrops provide the stage with airy openness when necessary. Each scene has its own walls and set pieces which are instantly swapped out from above during the course of the play; the effect produces seamless transitions as well as welcome visual activity. One of the most striking sets, the backdrop for the Christmas Future scene, is a towering stone wall which evokes London’s old Newgate prison and intimidates through clever use of forced perspective.
Finally, this production of A Christmas Carol, while technically not a musical, incorporates plenty of Christmas carols. The music bookends nearly every scene, representing a broad selection of traditional English songs. All of these are performed by the cast, and whether sung by individuals, small ensembles or entire choirs, the music is always well done. The addition fits so naturally that any music-less production of the play would feel dull and drab in comparison.
This version of the treasured Christmas production stands out from the crowded seasonal landscape. The adaptation preserves all of the familiar elements of Dickens’s classic while adding material that genuinely enhances the story, making the experience both comfortable and new. Plenty of cities will see routine, uninspired productions of A Christmas Carol this Christmas season. Milwaukee has something special to call its own.
