A Christmas Carol
December 13 - December 27, 2003
A Christmas gift from Theatre Orangeville suitable for the whole family.
Designed for families of all ages, this version of the favourite Christmas tale once again tells the story of the stingy Ebenezer Scrooge and his night time visitors. With the ghosts of Christmas being played by puppets, you will find yourself totally enthralled by these timeless characters who have defined the meaning of Christmas for over one hundred years.
Adapted by K.J. Etherington and L.F. Wade
Directed by Lezlie Wade
Sponsored by James Dick Construction Ltd. and Orangeville B.I.A.
Articles and Reviews
Theatre Stages Two Plays based on a Christmas Carol
Theatres wrestle with a challenge when it comes to seasonal programming. Most recognize that yuletide productions are money in the bank. Families traditionally include theatre as a part of their holiday entertainment and the Christmas repertoire is well-known and popular.
Where theatres sometimes go wrong is attempting to stage a production designed to appeal equally to young and old alike. The problem becomes that, by attempting to please everyone, nobody is completely satisfied. One solution is to stage a play aimed specifically at children and do it extremely well, so that adults eagerly come along for the ride. Seasonal fare aimed at adults is trickier because it might not appeal to children, or, in some cases, be appropriate.
Theatre Orangeville addresses this yuletide quandary by offering two seasonal treats, both based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The first production is the Ontario premiere of Carol's Chrsitmas, by Vancouver playwright Kathleen Oliver, which opened Friday and continues through December 28. The companion production -- an adaptation of the Dickens' classic cowritten by the Waterloo theatrical team of Kevin Etherington and Lezlie Wade and directed by Wade -- opens Saturday and continues through December 27.
Directed by Theatre Orangeville artistic director, David Nairn, Carol's Christmas is a modern retelling of Dickens' eduring tale -- with a feminist twist. Although the story has been modified and updated, the play retains elements of moral fable. Oliver obviously had a great deal of fun incorporating components that parallel or echo A Christmas Carol and this sense of fun is shared by the audience.
In this modern tale, Scrooge's countinghouse is a radio station. Carol Dixon --who is played full tilt by Blythe Wilson -- is a top-rated syndicated talk-show host. As she clawed her way to the top, Carol lost herself along the way, becoming her radio personality. Consequently, the former idealist has withered into an ultra-conservative shrew who has no time for love, family or concern for others. When her mother and younger sister drop by the radio station to see if she would like to join them in carolling, Carol snaps "Whatever," echoing the immortal "Bay Humbug."
The remaining five cast members play multiple roles who help Carol find her way back to herself and, in the process, reclaim the true spirit of Chrsitmas. Adrian Marchuk plays, among other roles, the impoverished audio technician who bears an uncanny resemblance to Bob Cratchit. Lally Cadeau takes full advantage of her skill with accents to play Carol's mother and Carol's radio mentor, in addition to the audio technician's grandmother, an elderly surrogate for Tiny Tim who is deteriorating as she awaits a nursing home vacancy. Jan Filips plays Carol's father (both as lovingly alive and as the returning ghost of conscience) and the station owner. Mark Harapiak is Carol's estranged boyfriend Tim, while Leisa Way plays Carol's younger sister, the audio technician's beleaguered wife and the radio station's coniving promotion manager.
There will be those who argue that A Christmas Carol doesn't need updating to be relevant. Nonetheless, Oliver has done just that with enthusiasm and verve. That she is able to retain the spirit of the original is praise enough. Ditto for the Theatre Orangeville production. The major letdown is Sean Mulcahy's set. It looks like he was strapped with a Scrooge-like budget that prevented him from doing anything beyond the barest of essentials. Notwithstanding the remarks at the top of the review, Carol's Christmas is suitable for children, especially those 12 years and older.
Happily, the evening begins with a selection of seasonal songs performed by the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers under the direction of Joy Bell and Joan Borden.
87 Broadway, Orangeville ON, L9W 1K1