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| Ruth Jenkins, Samm Hill, Tony Domingue, and Morgan Harrison |
Ever since 1962, when Mr. Magoo first transformed A Christmas Carol from a Victorian morality
play into a comic holiday tradition, film makers and playwrights have been finding new and
bizarrely wonderful ways to twist Charles Dickens’ classic novella. Twilight Theater Company’s
current production of playwright Jerry A. Montoya’s 2007 adaptation, Christmas Carol – A
Ghost Story, fits squarely into this proud tradition – it’s as whacked out as they come, yet still
adheres to the basic tenets and themes of the original. Director Leslie Inmon has allowed her
imagination (and her cast) to run just a little bit wild, and the result is a fast-paced, occasionally
chaotic two hours where the audience and the cast compete to see who can have the most fun.
I will assume that you are familiar with the basics: Scrooge, Marley, Cratchit, Tiny Tim, ghosts,
laundresses, Fan, Fezziwig, Belle, and of course the original Big Bird – and all are faithfully, if
sometimes playfully, represented in Montoya’s version of the story. However, the Twilight
production includes several non-Dickensian touches, including a pirate, a camo-wearing
narrator who opens the show by leading an enthusiastic audience sing-a-long of “We Wish You
A Merry Christmas” (twice on opening night, due to unforeseen technical difficulties), and a
surprisingly jovial Marley’s Ghost who seems to be having entirely too much fun in his tortured
afterlife. The costumes and sets capture the same playful spirit, with occasional stabs at period
fidelity but lots of wiggle room – kudos to the revolving door that sometimes hides, sometimes
reveals, a multitude of critical stuff!
The cast is generally strong, although, as to be expected, there were a few opening night
hiccups. Special props to Samm Hill – his Scrooge is a delight, and he navigates from cranky
(dare I say, Scrooge-like?) to warm and genial on his journey to salvation. Elliott Dutcher’s
“Fred” is downright hyperactive as he bounces around the stage, and he definitely makes the
role his own! Carl Dahlquist’s “Marley” is a real audience pleaser – his broad, self-aware grin
lets us know that he knows we are watching, and that he’s fine with that. Each of the narrators
fulfills a critical role, with top honors in this category going to the camo-clad, sing-a-long leading
Tony Domingue and the frighteningly intense Lindsey LaFollett. Of course, all eyes are on Jade
Vanderhoof every time child Scrooge, Tiny Tim, or the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come appears
on stage – no actor ever wants to compete with a kid, and Jade provides fierce competition.
Conclusion? Charles Dickens would probably have been appalled to see what playwright
Montoya, in the capable hands of Inmon and her cast, have done to his novella. On the other
hand, the opening night Twilight audience, in many cases jaded by dozens of renditions of A
Christmas Carol, was highly amused and fully invested in this unexpectedly whlmsical,
thoroughly family friendly if occasionally dark and ghostly, take on the classic tale.
Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story is playing at Twilight’s Performing Arts Theater, 7515 N.
Brandon Avenue, Portland, through December 18 th with performances at 8 pm on Fridays and
Saturdays and 3 pm on Sundays.
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