A Christmas Carol—Portland Playhouse—NE Portland

         The Immortal Visionary

     This annual event of Dickens’s immortal classic is adapted and lyrics by Rick Lombardo, music by Anna Lackaff and Lombardo, arranged by Lackoff and directed by Brian Weaver.  It is playing at their space, 602 NE Prescott St. (parking lot 2 blocks N. of the theatre, on 6^th), through December 29^th.  For more information, go to their site at www.portlandplayhouse.org or call 503-488-5822.

     This is undoubtably one of the most produced stories of all time.  Dickens, himself, enjoyed reading from it to audiences in his time; there was a one-man show with Phillip J. Berns; animated films with voices of Mel Blanc, and Jim Backus (Magoo)—even a C/G version with Jim Carey; musicals; Reader’s Theatre (I even directed one with Russ Fast); futuristic, from Rod Serling, Carol For Another Christmas; and countless Scrooge’s, (with the best being Alastair Sim), including Albert Finney, George C. Scott, Henry Winkler, Sterling Hayden, Michael Caine, Bill Murray…and countless others.

     For the one or two of you that don’t know the story, here is a thumbnail sketch of it:  Scrooge (Michael Mendelson) is a miser, a money-lender by trade, who treats everyone around him like dog-do, even his jolly nephew, Fred (Melissa Mahoney), and his poor clerk, Cratchit (Ben Tissell).  But redemption may be on its way, as the ghost of his old business partner, Marley (Cycerli Ash), warns him of the consequences of continuing in this fashion.  He is to be visited by three spirits (also, all played by Ash) from his Past, the Present, and a time Yet-To-Come, so that he gets a clearer understanding of the world around him and its creatures.  And so, he is transformed, not because he was an evil man but because he is a good man that has just gone astray for a long while.

     Of course, along this journey, he has many visions of his life on its downhill spiral.  He sees himself as a young man (Dan Tracy), before his fall from grace with his former boss, Fezziwig (Tissell, again) and his slipping into materialism with his true love, Belle (Mahoney, again).  In the Present, he’s sees the joy in both his nephew’s family and the Cratchit’s during this festive time of year.  And, in the possibly prophetic future, sees the results of his own plight and also of the sad fate of the Cratchit’s youngest, Tiny Tim (not credited), and so vows to change his wayward ways.

     This collective ensemble in an open staging arena and story-telling style, with music, dancing and song, brings to life, with the energetic leadership of the director, Weaver, this beaming story of Redemption and Love, fit for the whole family.  Mendelson is especially good playing a somewhat more approachable vision of Scrooge.  Also, Ash excels at playing all the ghosts, including Marley.

    And I liked Mahoney, too, as she stood out in all her varied incarnations.  I recommend this production, suited for the whole family, but it’s selling out fast, so get your tickets soon.  If you do choose to see it, please tell them Dennis sent you.

     But, something to think about, as this story does inspire you to do that, there is a more somber/sober side that is relevant, too, as observed by my astute friend, Dave, and his wife, Christine (a Brit by birth), that Dickens’s life and times and writings were also reflecting on the poverty and pain of the 1800’s in England:   “…To portray the often grim world of A Christmas Carol as a jolly holiday post card is well meaning, but sadly misguided, especially when considering the poverty and suffering of the lower working class in Victorian England….”

     Definitely some excellent food for thought and true.  But here is my response to that note which he sent me: “Think about this:  During the Great Depression of the 30's, the one industry that thrived was...The Movies!  Why...because of the same reason we have upbeat Christmas classics at this time of our lives...because it boosts morale and gives people Hope and takes them out of their depressing situations for a while, in hopes of it rubbing off into real life.

     True, it doesn't reflect current situations of reality but it's hoping to create a New Reality with this (which is probably unrealistic) and, if not, at least takes people out of the Dismal situations for a short time and to view other possibilities, especially for the youngest citizens of our (once) Good Earth and let them see, at least, for a while, a Light at the end of a dark tunnel.

     Remember a quote from the play:  Scrooge, to Fred---"Why are you happy, you're poor enough?"  Fred's response, "Because I fell in Love."  Somehow, in Dickens's mind as well, Goodness/Love transforms the Darkness/Poverty into Light, if not forever, at least to give us the power, the vision, that there truly is something better out there, maybe just out of reach, but possible all the same!  "And, as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless us Every One!"

     The next phase in our development is, honestly, in the hands of the Youth and they will change things, I believe....  “And a child shall lead them."  After all, look who's on the cover of Time as the Person of the Year!  And so, "attention must be paid"--and it is noted now for all to see.”

Happy Holidays!

--DJS