Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Trinity Rep

"A Christmas Carol" by Trinity Rep-Original to the last moment

The best part of Trinity Rep's annual treasure of "A Christmas Carol" is that you never know what to expect. You won't ever see the same thing twice year-to-year, not even close. I remember a decade or so ago, watching the Ghost of Christmas Present fly overhead on a bicycle suspended by a cable, wondering how ingenious that was. How original. This year's version certainly upped the ante.

With the two dozen Christmas Carols that I have seen in my lifetime, I have never experienced a female Scrooge, played so powerfully by Trinity Rep mainstay Phyllis Kay. Kay captures the grumpiness but more importantly the emotion that most of the men before her cannot touch. She was masterful in her stinginess yet so amazingly touching when she realized what a second chance could mean.

The Cratchits may have been the cutest family ever-and Spanish no less, one of many original touches in this play featuring Spanish songs sung by the children. Led by Trinity Rep Rookie Luis Rivera Figueroa as Bob Cratchit, Figueroa was masterful as the Scrooge's subservient clerk. Showing little of his Spanish life to his boss until he ran home and began to sing so beautifully to his family, matched up with his strong-willed matriarch Mrs. Cratchit played lovingly but tough-as-nails by Jihan Haddad.

Marley, played so incredibly by Rachel Warren, was another powerful female character in a play typically dominated by men. Warren was commanding as Marley, oozing with despondency of a wasted life and the bitterness of not having a second chance like her old partner was granted. As with Kay, Warren's role helped to give the play so much more personality and strength. Jenny Nguyen Nelson awed as an aerial Ghost of Christmas Past while Angela Brazil, appearing so surprisingly from the crowd halfway through the play to the delight and wonder of her adjacent theatre-goers, was a terrific Ghost of Christmas Present, the flighty but devoted apparition that proved to be the key cog in making Scrooge realize there was a need for a change and why. "What does Bah Humbug even mean?" she laughed.

Much like the lead actors, the supporting cast made the performance so extraordinary from Scrooge's nephew Fred, played by Gunnar Manchester to Scrooge's fiancé Holly played by Michael Hisamoto; Dereks Thomas as a wonderfully sarcastic Fezziwig, Trinity debut Jeff Ararat as Topper and Jenna Lea Scott and Claire Koenig in multiple captivating roles.

The stage was so drab from the beginning-no Christmas trees or frequent snowfall; even the performers wore these ugly, colorless shirts, pants and leg warmers. The darkness and lack of color continued though out the play, something my wife and I discussed afterward, realizing it represented the darkness of depression surrounding Ebenezer's life. Once the ghosts had done their work, a world of color appeared, warming your heart and touching multiple emotional chords at the transformation and impact a positive soul can have on so many lives.

Trinity's "A Christmas Carol", 90 minutes without intermission, is one of those performances that you have to see multiple times because there is so much going on. I caught the Emmet Otter Jugband Christmas vest Manchester wore as Fred but only because my wife knows that is my favorite Christmas special, otherwise, I would have missed it and there was clearly more I missed as the energetic play continued to break boundaries. Another original twist, Fred was also gay, something no "A Christmas Carol" I have seen ever attempted and it added to the modern, diverse feel of this timeless 1843 classic that, let's be honest, has always needed a new, diverse touch.

There may not be much that hasn't been written about "A Christmas Carol" but there is none you have seen like this one and it makes it such a perfect holiday treat for all ages especially your kids. Times have changed in 180 years and thankfully, we're able to go along for the ride.

"A Christmas Carol" runs through January 1. For tickets go to Trinity Repertory Company - Your home for dramatic discoveries

Photo Credit: Mark Turek

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