Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
When one thinks about traditional performances of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the idea of scary Jacob Marley wrapped in chains or the ominous and grim ghost of Christmas to come may come to mind.
Generally, one would not think of the Fab Four acting as narrators to Ebenezer Scrooge’s story of self-discovery and change. However, in this adaptation of Dickens’ novel by Leslie Bramm, the crew at the Penobscot Theatre Company is aiming to deliver just that, and add a more comedic tone to the play than most of the somber film and theatrical adaptations people are accustomed.
It has been a tradition for the Penobscot Theatre Company to perform a version of “A Christmas Carol.” This year, art director Scott Levy is hoping to change things a bit and create a new and fun experience for the regular theater goers, as well as those who do not go on a regular basis.
“It makes it a little more fun, and a little more palatable for people who have seen it before,” Levy said about this new adaptation.
Ken Stack will be returning in the role of Scrooge, which he has played a number of times with the Penobscot Theatre Company, topping off a cast that includes a total of 15 actors, 12 of whom are local actors and three from New York. Allen Adams, Lacey Martin and Rebecca Bailey, who are all actors in the show, are also students at the University of Maine.
What separates this adaptation from all the other performances of “A Christmas Carol” is the fact that the narrators of this tale bear a remarkable resemblance to the Beatles. This may sound different to people at first, but the Beatles-Charles Dickens team-up was likely to occur at some point.
“Since a Christmas Carol takes place in London, it seemed a natural fit,” Levy said. If you are still having a problem wrapping your brain around the idea, Levy can give you a better visual of what you can expect. “Imagine the Beatles in ‘A Hard Day’s Night.’ It is these four individuals who don’t work individually unless they are a group. They keep stepping on each others lines and they finish each others sentences.”
With the idea of the Beatles as narrators, of course, comes more music than most productions of this play. “We also added more music into this production than in years past.” Levy said. It was decided that the play would contain more modern Christmas music as opposed to the traditional 19th century Christmas carols that many adaptations would use. “The music that we have added in are standard Christmas carols from the past 30 years,” he added.
The idea of the Beatles-like narrators and the addition of modern music also make this a play that is suitable for families. It is a light take on the classic, so it will not scare the children and will not give Grandpa flashbacks from Vietnam. When comparing it with other plays, Levy said “It is potentially more entertaining for the kids.”
Levy wants it to be known, that while they have made some changes to the story and characters, the play still remains true to the source material. “We’re keeping Dickens story, we’re keeping his actual words, and the message that he wanted to give.”
The story of “A Christmas Carol” was a novel originally, so Levy wants viewers to realize that a definitive play version does not exist. “It didn’t exist as a play, so I’m not sure there is a pure ‘A Christmas Carol’ play out there.”
The play runs from Dec. 14-23 with afternoon and nighttime showings. In addition, they are putting on four student matinees, all of which are already sold out. Rush tickets for students are available with a student ID a half hour before the performance at the price of a $5. Seats, of course, cannot be guaranteed at that point, as the show may be sold out.
For tickets and showtime information, call the Penobscot Theatre Company box office at 942-3333 during normal business hours.
Bangor Daily News