A Christmas Carol--A Refreshing Approach

I have not seen many shows produced by Round Rock High School over the past ten years or so. Back in the day when B J Machalicek was the director and theater teacher over there, I went all the time, as she made sure I got a comp ticket. She knew I was broke and depressed, and let me in to see the fun. When she left Round Rock High, I was still broke, and not able to spend the $3 or $5 on the ticket.

In recent years, however, I have seen more plays by Round Rock and McNeil High School, as Jim's former students attend those schools and will let us know if they are in a show. The first show we saw at Round Rock under those circumstances was "The Chalk Circle," directed by Johanna Whitmore. I thought what she did with it was excellent. I saw a lot in common with that and the cutting of "Romeo and Juliet" she directed last year, in which Brendan played Friar Lawrence. She has the ability to minimalize staging and focus on the actors and the story.

This year, she did "A Christmas Carol." I was very surprised to find that one of Brendan's roles involved dancing. Dancing? Brendan? OoooKaaay...?

Tonight, we saw the show.

I am totally blown away! It is the best staging of the story that I have ever seen. I have seen quite a few. As we sat down, Jim said, "Good use of scrim." I looked around at the set (black, stark, minimalist) and realized that a lot of what I had thought was plywood was actually scrim--fabric stretched over a frame that disappears when backlit. The play opened with swelling chords of a very good choir singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen " in God knows how many part harmony. Enough parts to send me groping through my purse for a tissue.

Dickens came out and proceeded to tell his own story.

~Maybe this is the place to insert that I know the story well enough that changes in dialogue jump out at me~

I was extremely gratified to hear Dickens' words the way he wrote them, brought to life by an ensemble cast that knew what they were doing. There was no attempt made to imitate English accents, but everyone enunciated clearly and spoke with very clipped diction. Brendan played the more vocal of the two gentlemen who came to Scrooge in search of charitable donations ("...some small provision for the poor...")

~Maybe this is the place to insert that my son looks very nice in a top hat and a tailcoat~

Brendan was also in the Fezziwig party scene, which involved some very spirited dancing with which all the kids appeared to be having fun.

The lights were perfect. The singing was magnificent. The actors were right there. They lifted the audience right into the bustle of Dickens' London. Set pieces appeared and disappeared, borne on and off unobtrusively by the actors. The ghosts were lovely, especially Christmas Future, all nine feet tall and faceless. He appeared, backlit with radiating bands of cold blue/white light, and just the right amount of smoke.

Oh. I have a new favourite Christmas carol. It's "Good King Wenceslaus." It has to start with the first verse sung a capella by a lone soprano under a tight spot. The second verse adds in three more, including a baritone, to make a solid quartet. The third brings in more, and the fourth becomes an anthem with the whole ensemble singing.

I SO like the inclusion of a small choir singing Christmas carols. What, after all, is "A Christmas Carol" without Christmas carols? The fiddler is a very nice touch, as well.

This is a sophisticated, elegant, brilliant production, well-designed and well-performed.

Bravo Bravissimo. Very well done!