“A Christmas Carol” is Back at Orcas Center

— a review by Cara Russell —

Christopher Evans and daughter Mona play Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim

“No wind that blew was bitterer than he.” It began in the dark, with the wind howling so resiliently that I felt chilled just sitting in my seat. Suddenly a single small match was lit by teeny tiny fingers, and a voice, so slight and delicate it risked getting blown away, began to sing Silent Night. It took two lit sticks for the Little Match Girl (Ella Weaver) to finish her solitary song before she was lost to the dark and the wind. While Hans Christian Andersen’s Match Girl played no other part in the performance, she did establish the tone that is prevalent in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol,” the suffering of the poor, and forgotten children of the 1800s.

The life of Ebenezer Scrooge (Robert Hall) is that of a cold-hearted miser who despises everything and everyone—especially their foolish indulging in Christmas. Hall was Scrooge personified—complete with a prosthetic pointed nose; his posture crooked and shriveled up from years of pouring over his work in his counting-house; his voice scratchy and low, unless roused to fury by such characters as Bob Cratchit (Christopher Evans) and Scrooge’s nephew Fred (Kellen Comrie), who both try to bring a little sense of wonder to his cold soul. “Bah Humbug!”

The Orcas version of “A Christmas Carol” is a modern fairytale of redemption where Scrooge gets the opportunity to make things right in the form of three Ghosts of Christmas who make Scrooge look at his life. Christmas Past (Celestine Jensen) fluttered about the stage on dainty feet, and showed Scrooge his youth. Christmas Present (Cali Bagby) adorned with an elaborate wreath was a jolly and kind Mother Christmas embodiment. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Brandon Bolt) the ghost burdened with the bad news, moved like a phantom—silent and slowly.

But Marley’s Ghost (Jim Shaffer-Bauck) was in a category of his own. He eerily rolled out on stage, controlled by shackles suspended from above. His own distorted body appeared like a shadow against the projector screen backdrop. Colors of gangrenous greens and blue moved about the stage lighting him and revealing to Scrooge what he can expect if he doesn’t change.

There are many other favorites including Tiny Tim (Mona Evans) who tugged at tender heartstrings. Jimmy King was the happiest boy Scrooge as he watched Ali Baba (played opening night by Kelly Toombs) ignite that sense of wonder that the adult Scrooge had long forgotten.

The entire cast is a large one and is made up of family and friends. They fill the stage with full voices and sweet smiles—the biggest smiles coming from the smallest cast members. And Narrator Carl Burger establishes a friendly tone from the beginning.

Director Jake Perrine has created a nice family experience and a must see for the little ones, with some very visually stunning special effects. Running at 75 minutes, without an intermission, the play was just the right length as the story progressed at a steady pace.

“A Christmas Carol” runs from Wednesday December 10 through Sunday December 14 at 6:30 p.m., on Center Stage.

Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” are $15, $11 students, and $2 off for Orcas Center members and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesday – Friday from noon – 4 p.m.