Goodman's Carol bubbles with warmth, joy
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
THEATER REVIEW | Veteran team isn't content to rest on laurels
Taken from the December 2, 2008 issue of the Chicago Sun-Times
By Hedy Weiss
William Brown (that most probing and insightful director), Larry Yando (that wiliest of bravura actors) and the many veteran performers who populate the Goodman Theatre's annual production of A Christmas Carol could easily have rested on their laurels. After all, last season's Brown-Yando collaboration proved to be an inspired partnership, and had they simply replicated their success—capturing the same mix of comic gusto and fiery moral outrage—things would have been just fine.
But Brown and Yando are true artists, and clearly were not content to coast. Instead, they've dug deeper, with Brown making some hugely effective changes to the production as a whole and Yando bringing even greater depth (and more mischief) to his portrayal of Scrooge, that man so warped by his obsession with eluding poverty and making a profit. The result is perhaps the richest and most involving edition of the Charles Dickens classic in years.
The changes are subtle and scattered throughout, with Tom Creamer's adaptation as solid as ever, and Dickens' story more timely. Particularly notable is the far more organic opening scene that now builds gradually from the plaintive sounds of a young street musician trying to conjure joy on his violin, to the gradual massing of a vibrant street scene (including the slow procession of a coffin) that hints at all that is to come.
Yando is the grand maestro here—an actor who can turn the emotional tide from strident rage to sharp laughter in a second. But there is much more. Penelope Walker's regal, often chiding Ghost of Christmas Present is a most winning addition, with Steve Haggard's whimsical flights of fancy generating giggles as Christmas Past (and terror when he plays the Undertaker).
Bret Tuomi and Sharon Sachs are irresistible as the joy-filled Fezziwigs; Katie Jeep is full of charm and passion as Belle, Scrooge's abandoned fiancee, and there are most winning turns by Matt Schwader, Monet Butler, Kevin Theis, Ron Rains, Karen Woditsch, Brendan Marshall-Rashid and a gaggle of kids. The Grim Reaper of Christmas Future is more towering and fearsome than ever before. And Andrew Hanson's fine music direction and Susan Hart's zestful choreography add to the festivities. In brief, glorious.
Humor over humbug
THEATER REVIEW | Goodman's Christmas Carol adds a dose of laughs for tough times
Taken from the December 2, 2008 issue of the Chicago Tribune
By Nina Metz
First rate and entirely traditional, the 31st annual production of A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre contains just enough surprises to keep things interesting.
Here's one: This might be the funniest version of the Charles Dickens classic I've seen on the Goodman stage. Times are tight. We're all worried about jobs and the economy. With this in mind, director William Brown's instincts are spot on. Audiences want meaning. But also, they desperately need to laugh.
It's a trade-off. This isn't quite the haunting experience of years past, but the potency is impossible to miss. A death (Marley's) reawakens a life (Scrooge's)—a cold reality that sets the story in motion. If you've long ago dismissed this show as treacle and do-goody earnestness, I suggest a trip to the Goodman for a reminder of just how much depth and complexity the story actually has.
Larry Yando is back for a second year, sporting the mutton chops of the scowling Scrooge and walking around with his head tucked into his shoulders. This guy is stingy even with his neck. (You might say Yando, who spent three years playing Scar in the national touring company of The Lion King, has become a master of grumps.)
Like clockwork, the three spirits come calling, and this is where director Brown's comedic sensibilities come into play. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Steve Haggard) arrives on wires, and settles in for a convo with Scrooge while sitting midair, one leg casually crossed over the other.
While Tom Creamer's adaptation remains the same, Brown has coaxed a playful energy from his cast. The comedy comes from small details, gestures, facial expressions—artful mugging, if you will. It works staggeringly well. Sharon Sachs, in a multitude of roles, nearly steals every scene, especially her apple dumpling of a performance as Mrs. Fezziwig.
Brown has also freshened up the "reveals"—the ghosts appear in new, unexpected ways; various scenes are staged with slight adjustments.
It's a smart move that gives audiences the best of both worlds—a small jolt of new peeking through the traditions of old.