Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL Delights Edmonton

There is no time like the present to ring in the holiday season! David van Belle's heartwarming adaptation of A Christmas Carol once again lights up the Citadel's intimate Maclab Theatre. Set against the backdrop of a post- World War II city, the production brims with festive tunes including It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, White Christmas, and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. 

In this version, the infamous miser, Ebenezer Scrooge (John Ullyatt), runs a ritzy department store with an iron fist. After closing shop on Christmas Eve, his solo dinner of freezer-burned steak is interrupted by the chain-shackled ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley (Julien Arnold). To escape the same eternal fate, Scrooge must heed the lessons of three more successive spirits and vow to become a better man. What follows is a poignant anti-hero's journey to the realms of his past, present, and future.

This year, Citadel Theatre veteran John Ullyatt once again dons Scrooge’s stuffy pinstriped suit. He is re-joined by several returning cast members including Patricia Zentilli as the widowed Emily Crachit, Ruth Alexander as the sardonic housekeeper, Mrs. Dilber, and Elias Martin as the adorable Tiny Tim. Notable newcomers include Jesse Gervais as the hilariously flamboyant Ghost of Christmas Present and Rochelle Laplante as the Betty Boop-esque holiday party soloist. 

Like a shimmering Yuletide light display, A Christmas Carol dazzles with its colourful costumes and evocative sets. It combines delightful escapism with a powerful message of love, goodness, and kindness. Audiences have until December 23 to treat themselves to this beloved Edmonton tradition.

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