A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A Journey Back to the Victorian Era

The company of A Christmas Carol at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Photo credit: Mark Frohna.

A review of A Christmas Carol

by Benjamin Earnest, age 13

This is the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s 50th anniversary of putting on their version of Charles’ Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, so they definitely put a huge effort towards the budget and choice of actors. This play follows how Ebenezer Scrooge (portrayed by Matt Daniels) changes his morality throughout the course of the show with the visits of four spirits. Each visit shows Ebenezer how he could improve on each choice that he makes, like reflecting on those whom he hurt the most, even if they aren't alive in the present time. This show demonstrates clear storytelling in its use of effects, detailed characterization, and non-verbal communication. 

Each dramatic entrance of the spirits came with suspenseful smoke, indicating their supernatural qualities and how they would take a turn in Scrooge's next three days. This especially applies when Jacob Marley (played by Mark Corkins) appears first, dragging chains that represent the burdens that he carries. The costume designs by Alexander B. Tecoma helped to create his distinct and ghostly appearance. These same features apply to all of the other ghosts that come later in the show: the Ghost of Christmas Past, played by Kevin Kantor, the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by Todd Denning, and finally the Ghost of Christmas Future, puppeteered by Connor Nekich. The Ghost of Christmas Future looked especially ominous, a slender and non-verbal indicator of what is yet to come for Ebenezer. This character has a very important and interesting part in the show; although he doesn’t talk at all, he shows the small and powerful ways that actions of the other characters can affect Scrooge’s heart, like with Tiny Tim’s passing.

Each time period we encountered had very different kinds of characters, varying from ballroom dancers to grave robbers later on. The characters in the past have more joyful and festive mindsets compared to the future and present. For example, the people who rob Scrooge on his deathbed in the future all insult him for not having anyone to pass a will onto and no one who has a strong family relationship with him. The scene that had the most ensemble personality was the dance hosted by Ebenezer’s master Fezziwig, portrayed by James Pickering. All of the cast members in that scene show the joy and happiness that resonated off of Scrooge in his early days while dancing happily in the background. In the later past scenes, when Ebenezer starts to become an unhappy and stubborn man, his significant other Belle (played by Emily S. Chang) shows strong concern for his future lifestyle based on his actions.

Although the cast’s English accents were nearly perfect, from an audience standpoint, certain characters’ accents were more difficult to understand. This mostly applies to Scrooge’s grumpy mumbling when he first goes through the house and the first two ghosts’ distinct ways of delivering lines including the Ghost of Christmas Present’s bellowing voice. During some transitions, sounds of the voices of people Ebenezer used to know overlapped, but it suited the story in that case. 

An intriguing aspect of the show that can catch an audience member’s eye is the set, designed by Todd Edward Ivins. This theater had a double turntable which allowed the directors to be creative with blocking, especially when it comes to Scrooge’s inner vertigo inside his house, shifting to different rooms and places of thought. The turntables also helped transform the interior of houses into the evening alleyways of England. Some other parts of the set I enjoyed were the banners used to create different moods, like the party at Fezziwig’s workspace and Christmas Day.

In all, this was a phenomenal, professional performance. This play brings audience members the remembrance of the joy and change that the holidays bring us. The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s A Christmas Carol will be on stage until the 24th, and if you can’t come this year they will always continue to perform the show as an annual tradition. Go see A Christmas Carol at the Rep!