Carol's Christmas

December 3 - December 21, 2003

A modern day slant on the Christmas classic - with a female twist!

This sophisticated and contemporary version of Dickens' Christmas classic offers a modern day slant with a female twist. As a top radio personality, Carol has had to make some tough choices to get to the top of her game and in the process lost herself along the way. This timeless story is as captivating as ever. Join Carol on her journey to reclaim her Christmas spirit and discover your own along the way.

By Kathleen Oliver
Sponsored by Orangeville B.I.A. and Classical 96.3 FM

"This new play by Kathleen Oliver…turns the old Dickens classic upside down, takes it for a ride, and brings it blissfully up to date…this clever new script (is a) reason to say God bless us, every one."

Richard Ouzounian, The Toronto Star, December 9, 2002

Articles and Reviews

There's a Bit of Scrooge in All of Us

The Orangeville Banner, 
Friday, December 5, 2003

The main character in Theatre Orangeville's Carol's Christmas may say "whatever" rather than "Bah humbug" but she certainly resembles Ebenezer Scrooge.

The play in general, as was intended by Canadian writer Kathleen Oliver, recalls Dickens' A Christmas Carol by including a small-hearted main character, ghosts that reveal the past, present and future and an overall message of the importance of finding the Christmas spirit.

And in the play, these elements come off as evocative as in the original story.

We are revolted by Carol, played by the forceful Blythe Wilson, when she treats her friends and employees poorly, yells at the homeless shelter volunteer and neglects her family.

We also feel sympathy when the ghosts reveal to her the horrors of her life and show her what it could become.

But Carol's Christmas sneaks in elements such as Dr. Seuss' the Grinch, baby boomers, privatization of health care and syndicated talk shows -- things that don't show up in Dickens' original.

While as a general rule I would say it is best not to mess with a classic that works, this play is effective at drawing in a modern audience.

Having a female main character is inconsequential, really. Carol could be Carl and the impact would be the same. But the play introduces modern issues such as the deterioration of social services which makes the play relevant in today's world.

In a way, each audience member becomes Carol. We all get a look at what could happen if our delicate social services -- health care and seniors' housing -- are not protected.

It also helps that director, David Nairn, has brought together a stellar cast, including veteran Lally Cadeau, Mark Harapiak, Adrian Marchuk, Jan Filips and Leisa Way.

But the nicest thing about it is that amongst all the modern issues, like 16 year waiting lists to get into a seniors' home and the selling of human organs, we find that the essence of the Christmas spirit has remained the same.

Theatre Stages Two Plays based on a Christmas Carol

The Kitchener Waterloo Record
December 8, 2004

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 Christmas, by Vancouver playwright Kathleen Oliver, which opened Friday and continues through December 28. The companion production -- an adaptation of the Dickens' classic co-written 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 caroling, 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.