Mrs. Dilber’s Fabulous Bedcurtains
Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Loft Ensemble
Through December 18
Christmas, anti-capitalism, and class consciousness don’t usually go together. But Mrs. Dilber’s Fabulous Bedcurtains, Loft Ensemble’s world premiere spoof of A Christmas Carol, Ebeneezer Scrooge’s housekeeper Mrs. Dilber (Bree Pavey) has had enough of the rich old guys. All she wants for Christmas is a set of warm bed curtains to keep her cozy in Scrooge’s drafty house, but she’s continuously interrupted by ghosts on their way to visit her boss. Mrs. Dilber hijacks the evening (and Scrooge’s redemption arc) on her journey to realize that the true meaning of Christmas is actually overthrowing the bourgeoisie.
Bree Pavey as the titular Mrs. Dilber brings the necessary sass, comedic timing, and Cockney accent. Other standouts from the cast include Raymond Donahey and Jennifer DeRosa as the long-suffering Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit and Sarah Nilsen as a spunky Ghost of Christmas Past. The rest of the ensemble imbue their characters with energy and a touch of campiness as they transform into multiple roles each throughout the course of the show. But the weirdest, most creative, and most hilarious gag in the show is reimagining Tiny Tim (Benjamin Marshall) as a bloodthirsty maniac who terrorizes London instead of a sweet little boy.
Playwright Arthur M. Jolly has peppered in topical references to “essential workers” and “the 1%” that elicit chuckles, but silly character flourishes and poking fun at the out-of-touch upper class isn’t enough to transform the inherent structure of the story. A Christmas Carol is about Scrooge’s spiritual transformation as he confronts the regret of a life wasted in pursuit of money, so removing him entirely from the story makes the plot fall flat and the show’s final message feel unearned. Watching Mrs. Dilber experience lessons meant for Scrooge is more confusing than comical; the wisecracking Mrs. Dilber does deserve a Christmas story all her own.
Loft Ensemble, 11031 Camarillo St., North Hollywood; Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 7 p.m.; through Dec. 18 (dark Nov. 26-25). Additional performances Fri. 8 p.m. (Dec. 9 & Dec. 12) www.loftensemble.org or (818) 452-3153.. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
