One of America's favorite holiday traditions, A Christmas Carol comes to life each year in Milwaukee's Pabst Theater, a beautifully restored, historic theater in the heart of downtown. This is the 25th annual production staged by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Traditions are not to be tinkered with, and the Rep has remained faithful to the spirit and the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. This recent adaptation by the Rep's artistic director, Joseph Hanreddy, is an audience-pleasing triumph that weaves traditional holiday carols into the timeless tale. Many of the songs are historic English carols rarely heard in this country. The musical accompaniment is a pleasing addition, although it goes a bit too far.
By the end of the show, the ghost of Christmas Future leads the audience in a rousing few verses of "Joy To The World." (Very corny, but the audiences love it.)
It takes awhile to adjust to the disparity between the elaborate costumes and minimalist set. A few well-chosen set pieces suggest Scrooge's office, his home, and the homes of his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his nephew, Fred, as well as many scenes from London's past, present and, of course, its future.
Lighting and special effects create an otherworldly ambiance that is sustained throughout. The performances, however, are sharply drawn, beginning with Jonathan Gillard Daly as the tight-fisted Scrooge. Though no stranger to A Christmas Carol (he has appeared in several productions over the years), this is his debut in the main role. Daly has a tall, stately physique that suggests Abraham Lincoln more than the miserly Englishman he portrays here. His Scrooge is a restrained patrician who is only slightly flustered by the visions that guide his spiritual journey. By the time the spirits have completed their work, however, Daly's transformation is complete. He is as jubilant as one would expect from someone who has earned a reprieve.
Although the large and excellent cast contains too many names to mention individually, among the highlights is William Dick as Bob Cratchit; Laura Gordon as his no-nonsense wife; Michael Daly as the good-spirited Fred; Mark Corkins as both Young Marley and as the terrifying specter of Marley's Ghost who appears on Christmas Eve; and Laurie Birmingham, equally satisfying as Scrooge's housekeeper and as the boisterous Mrs. Fezziwig. Overall, this is a holiday treat audiences can look forward to year after year.
