Reviewed by Dana Martin
Aurora Theater
Through Dec. 21st
Mrs. Christmas is bringing tidings of comfort and joy to the Aurora Theater in Long Beach this holiday season. Tom Jacobson’s new holiday play explores a complicated mother/daughter relationship and a variety of Christmas memories. The evening features a full program of Christmas spirit but is often weighed down by dense prose — proving a heavy bag of gifts for Mrs. Christmas to heave.
On a cold winter night Mrs. Christmas (Linda Libby) keeps the audience warm, well-fed and well-informed by the light of the living room fireplace which is next to the perfectly adorned Christmas tree. She sits atop her sleigh, belts out carols, and takes the audience on a musical journey that transcends time and place, using complicated memories of her holiday-obsessed mother as a catalyst for holiday cheer. She pulls out a weathered scrapbook and takes a deep dive into the days of yore. Having grown up in the shadow of a woman who obsessed over the holiday season and all its trappings and traditions, she now adorns the Mrs. Christmas mantle and keeps the holiday traditions alive. She tells stories and sings about Christmas traditions throughout time and all over the world.
Director Karole Foreman makes the most of a very tight space and includes many warm and personal touches. The 80-minute performance time feels like a very full evening. Jaquelyne Estrada’s scenic design brings a homey warmth to the Aurora, and her prop design is delightfully detailed. Jon Hykras’ lighting is overly dramatic. His video design, however, conjures a winter storm which is highly effective. Augusta Avalone’s costume design is appropriately fun and festive.
Jacobson blends traditional and original carols, Christmas stories, and the intricate history of a mother and daughter relationship. The play is part Christmas tradition, part history lesson, and a whole lot of yuletide lore. It’s a hodgepodge of information which makes it hard to figure out what to focus on, story-wise.
The stories Libby tells sound as if they’re plucked from a novel: heavy on imagery, and including a lot of detail — which proves difficult for the performer to navigate without incident. She is overloaded with props and stage business in addition to much speaking and singing. Some of the songs are not well-suited to her voice and lack vocal nuance. Regardless, she’s a likeable performer who powers through technical difficulty and the occasional dropped line. Cody Bianchi’s accompaniment is enjoyable and keeps the evening on track. Bianchi also plays an innocuous supporting character to Libby’s robust, good-natured Mrs. Christmas.
Mrs. Christmas features shadow puppets that tell a bloody tale about a pelican, a fun call-and-response song, traditional Christmas carols, warm-baked cookies, and a reflection on a fractured familial relationship shrouded in festive Christmas tradition. Weighty text notwithstanding, what’s not to enjoy?
Aurora Theater, 4412 East Village Rd., Long Beach. Fri., 7 pm, Sat.-Sun., 2 pm & 7 pm; thru Dec. 21st. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/signalhillsandboxinc. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.
