Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Trinity Repertory Company ushers the holiday season in with their annual presentation and their 41st production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens adapted by Adrian Hall and Richard Cumming. Trinity is also celebrating its 55th season. This show’s underlying themes of charity, forbearance and benevolence are universal and are equally relevant to people of all religions and backgrounds especially now after this contentious election and climate of this country. This familiar tale is about the curmudgeonly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the ghosts of Marley, Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come who hope to change his destiny and save his soul to ultimately to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Director Mark Valdez creates an excellent telling of this well known Christmas tale while musical director Esther Zabinski, plays a concertina and wrote all the parts for the many songs in the show. Choreographer yon Tande makes the cast shine in the dance numbers. The enthusiastic audience thoroughly enjoyed the show with thunderous applause and standing ovation at curtain call.
This version has the main character of Scrooge play all Scrooge roles displaying his phenomenal acting prowess in it. The three Ghosts grow younger as they go along to reflect Scrooge’s recapturing of his youthful joy for the holiday making him say he feels like a new born baby on Christmas Day. Leading this huge cast this year is Stephen Thorne as Scrooge. He and his wife, Angela Brazil directed last year’s version. Stephen runs the gamut of emotions as the curmudgeonly miser. His comic moments include yelling at his nephew, Fred, his employee, Bob Cratchit, the almsmen and the children to stop singing. However the power of the role occurs when Stephen acts out little boy Scrooge in Fan’s death, young man Scrooge in the break up with Belle, and his current self in the death of Tiny Tim. This is where the audience is moved to tears at his strong dramatic performance in these scenes. His transformation sequence is amazing to behold as he speaks directly to the audience. The audience discovers how Scrooge has turned into a better man by learning from the past, present and future on how to gain redemption at last. I last reviewed Stephen as Iago in “Othello” last season. Stephen delivers a powerhouse performance in this role as he mesmerizes the audience with his incredible acting prowess. He convinces the audience that he is all versions of this character, performing each segment perfectly. Bravo on this tour de force performance!
The first ghost to scare the audience is Mauro Hantman as Jacob Marley. He scares not only Scrooge but the entire audience with his emphatic delivery of his lines. He flies in from above and hoists Scrooge up in the air with him and brings him to the stage level with chains. The three ghosts are excellently played in this version. Timothy Crowe is a hoot as Christmas Past. He chastises him as they look back on how he enjoyed Christmas as a boy with his sister, Fan and at the Fezziwig’s party when he fell in love with Belle. His entrance as the ghost is stunning and he commands the stage in this segment. He uses his walking stick to make Stephen transform back into his younger self. Stephen does a topnotch job as Boy Scrooge as does Addison Ralphs as Fan. Belle is played with a great deal of warmth and charm by Maria Gabriela Rosado Gonzalez. She gives a tear jerking feel to the break up that is perfect. Stephen is also excellent as Young Man Scrooge as he captures the loving attitude with Belle, the callousness later on and the anguish when they break up. He displays his fantastic singing voice. The levity in the show is provided by Ava Gaudet as Mrs. Fezziwig. She is an expert at this comic role. Ava leaves you laughing merrily at her jolly behavior as this kindly benefactor of the past Christmas celebrations. The dance number in this scene is excellently executed. Ava and Taavon Gamble also play the comic almsman near the start of the show.
Fred Sullivan is fabulous as Christmas Present. His entrance has to be seen to be believed. The spirit not only spreads Christmas cheer but teaches Scrooge how to be kinder to his fellow man. He cajoles him as they observe the suffering around them especially poignant is the poor people’s scene. Louis Reyes McWilliams is also terrific as Fred. He brings a great deal of energy to this role and possesses a strong voice. Elizabeth Lewis plays his beautiful wife who also has a great voice Addison also plays Christmas Future who frightens the audience with her ominous presence and demeanor while showing Scrooge, the Old Jo, the death of Tim and the gravestone scenes.
Daniel Duque Estrada plays the likeable Bob Cratchit wonderfully. He has some comic moments early on in the show and in the first family scene but displays his dramatic acting chops with the death of Tim sequence. Mrs. Cratchit is played beautifully by Octavia Chavez Richmond while the talented children are played by Ahlyha Bright as Martha, Juliana Quadros as Belinda and Jeffrey Bento as Peter. Rylee Donolin does a nice job as Tiny Tim. Ava is a hoot as Old Jo in the counting house sequence with Taavon as the Undertaker and Tanya Anderson as Mrs. Dilber, the laundress. The turkey boy is very well played by Odysseas Pavlides. The West Warwick High School Concert Chorale played the choir group singing in this show. They have different groups alternating during the 56 performances. Scrooge hates choir singing but the audience loves it. So for an annual season treat that the audience desperately needs this year after the turmoil, unrest and uncertainty, be sure to catch “A Christmas Carol” at Trinity Rep. It will leave you laughing merrily and definitely will help you get into the Christmas spirit.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (8 November to 30 December)
Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St, Providence, RI
1(401)351-4242 or www.trinityrep.com
