Charles Dickens

It's a Wonderful Scrooge

Tidings of comfort and humbug are alive and well in David Cairns’ adaptation of the Dickens classic tale of the shallowness of greed.  Under the ever-creative direction of Roy Lewis, Cairns brought his script to marvelous life doing double duty as the irascible Ebenezer Scrooge.  His tone, timing and diction while he’s whisked by female spirits into his reprehensible past, spotty present and cadaverous future (both his own and Tiny Tim’s) held the production together admirably, only trumped by a wide array of facial expressions as his metamorphosis from sinner to beloved uncle is completed.

Scrooge’s ghostly guides were models of “other side” decorum:  Shannon Currie imbued the past transgressions with just enough scorn; Kathryn DeLory began the present-day review (denialists everywhere—er, hello there Conrad—will wonder what all the fuss was about) with a dollop of campiness that promised a welcome, fresh take but soon slipped into merely competent delivery; finally, like the tormented King of the counting house, the mute Ghost of Christmas Future (Karen Knox) made her points brilliantly with nary a word.

Gluing the scenes together was Scott Lale’s affable narration in the role of the prolific and social-savvy author.  Robert Woodcock was completely at home as the long-suffering Bob Crachit, a loving father to his over-the-top son, Peter (Chris Watson), possibly wayward daughter (Knox—most of the energetic players took on at least two roles) and stoically adoring wife (Currie).

To keep things moving swiftly and the traffic jams to the minimum, the Rose Theatre Studio’s flexible space was used to full advantage.  Behind readily accessible Chinese screens, each of the four corners housed the results of Alex Amini’s detail-rich costume design.  Like a well-oiled machine the garments were donned, doffed or delivered with just-in-time precision so that the otherwise basic-black covered cast could morph from laundress to heavenly host in a flash.  Chad Pettit’s sound design added much to the proceedings save and except for the too pedestrian bell that ushered Scrooge from one world into the next; still the real-time chimes melding into the full-blown steeple cry in the finale was handled seamlessly.

As the cast went about their business, the only distraction from three sides of the theatre-in-the-square set-up was the above-us-all control booth from which it could be observed how much the operators were enjoying their work.  Perhaps Lighting Designer Mike Rainey might be employed to work his magic behind the scenes as well (the capture of Marley’s back-from-the-grave visage was an early triumph for the wizards of darkness and light).

Lewis took to heart his considerable experience at Stratford and employed “speak hands for me” with a view both to the flow and the logistics.  Props were eschewed in favour of hand-sculpted mugs, pens, snowballs and coins; combined with the ghoulish chorus, literally, surrounding Scrooge’s descent into charity, and you have the perfect play for our time of the riches-hungry mighty coming face-to-face with their own ghosts from transactions past.

Director	Roy Lewis
Writers	Charles Dickens (story) and David Cairns (adaptation)
Cast	David Cairns, Scott Lale, Karen Knox, Chris Watson, Shannon Currie, Kathryn DeLory, Robert Woodcock
Sound Designer	Chad Pettit
Lighting Director	Mike Rainey
Costume Designer	Alex Amini

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