Reviewed by Madison Mellon
A Noise Within
Thru December 24th
RECOMMENDED
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol surely needs no introduction. The story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, and how he discovers the meaning of Christmas after a visitation from three ghosts, has become an intrinsic part of the holiday season. The production currently playing at A Noise Within delivers everything one could want from this classic tale. It is whimsical and heartfelt, and fully embraces the holiday spirit.
The adaptation, by Geoff Elliott, is meticulously faithful to the original story. Every word is lifted directly from Dickens’ text, with a narrator (Mildred Marie Langford) reciting passages to fill in any gaps in the action. This production does not endeavor to reinvent the wheel, but there is really no reason to. Overall, the simplicity of the adaptation allows the story’s strengths to shine.
The cast is strong, adding some welcome dimension to their often-archetypal characters. As Scrooge, Frederick Stuart is endearing even at his most curmudgeonly (Stuart alternates the role with Geoff Elliott). As Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit, Kasey Mahaffy and Emily Kosloski have excellent chemistry and anchor the story as its moral center. Riley Shanahan, as Marley, adds some welcome darkness and gravity to the tale. Finally, as Tiny Tim, Aria Zhang tugs at the audience’s heartstrings every time she utters a line. Between the sound levels and the accents, I did occasionally have issues understanding some of the dialogue, but that’s a relatively minor quibble.
The design of the production is very effective. The set (original scenic concept by Jeanine A. Ringer) utilizes the full depth of A Noise Within’s stage. The projections (designed by Kristin Campbell) are atmospheric and well-integrated into the rest of the design. There are some especially impactful moments where the design spills into the aisles of the theatre as Scrooge’s haunting commences. However, there are certain elements that feel underutilized: a beautiful swing briefly descends from the ceiling but then is never used again, and Scrooge’s talking door knocker is represented through projections rather than puppeteering the actual door knocker on stage. Elements like these, while small, could have added slightly more magic to the proceedings.
In the end, this is a very solid, traditional, crowd-pleasing production of A Christmas Carol. While it does not do anything revolutionary with this tried-and-true tale, it tells it very well. It expertly captures the warmth and timelessness of the original story, and its underlying message of finding the good in humanity resonates deeply this holiday season.
A Noise Within, 3352 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena; Thurs.-Fri., 7 pm, Sat., 2 pm & 7 pm, Sun., 2 pm; Dec. 23, 2 & 7 pm, Dec 24, 2 pm; thru Dec. 24. www.anoisewithin.org
