December, 2013 (This is a copy of my 2012 review of A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within in Pasadena.)
Christmas Cheer at ANW
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| Ensemble Cast for A Noise Within's A Christmas Carol |
Alistair
Sim may always hold first place for Best Scrooge in the 1951 film version of
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas
Carol. Certainly, the production
many years ago at Cal State Long Beach of Kenneth Rugg’s adaptation featuring
huge pages of the story turning on stage to reveal in a pop up book the
familiar chapters of how an unhappy man is led to understand the joy of living
is memorable. However, A Noise
Within’s Geoff Elliott (Scrooge and the adaptor of Dickens’ story to the Pasadena
stage) has accomplished a feat.
When Geoff and his lovely co-director Julia Roderiguez-Elliott got
together for this one, the idea must have been to make it fun. And, fun it is.
Company
member Robertson Dean, takes stage to narrate the story as it unfolds. A wide variety of accents are
sprinkled through the characters’ speeches, but all in all, the familiar lines
and larger than life characters bring this old chestnut to life.
The
ensemble shines. The familiar story unfolds with new twists and favorite
members of the company take multiple roles bringing the Cratchitts, Scrooge and
the Ghosts back from the dusty shelf.
Mitchell
Edmonds as Marley’s Ghost rattles chains that literally rattle the
audience. It’s broad and
appropriate. Clever set design by Jeanine
A. Ringer accomplishes what ANW always excels at: efficient changes that become
a part of the show. The
thrust stage accommodates moving platforms and set pieces that harmonize with Ken
Booth’s intricate lighting to bring the story in beautifully in one act: smooth as
silk.
Deborah
Strang showing poor Scrooge his years gone by, as the Ghost of Christmas Past
enters swinging. Ebenzer has spent
so much of his time toiling to make more and more money that it is only as
Dickens drags him through lost love and opportunity that he realizes, step by
step his sad fate. He encounters
Christmas Present (Alan Blumenfeld towers) and Kevin Rico Angulo as Christmas
Future menacing and forboding.
The
large protean ensemble members become revelers and harbingers of tidings, not
always of comfort and joy. Shane McDermott as Tiny Tim, has only to recite his familiar line to
bring the story full circle and leave the audience ready to embrace the holiday
season.
A
CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
(Adapted
for the stage by Geoff Elliott)
A
Noise Within
3352
East Foothill Boulevard
Pasadena,
CA 91107
Through December 22, 2013
Tickets
and Information
626
356-3500 ext. 1
www.
A NoiseWithin . org
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