‘Christmas Carol’ raises spirits again

Tom Titus

The only certainties in life may be death and taxes. But in Costa

Mesa, there’s a third -- the re-emergence of Charles Dickens’ “A

Christmas Carol” on the stage of South Coast Repertory with the

arrival of December.

For the 24th year, this holiday classic is bringing the spirit --

and spirits -- of Christmas to local audiences, with the same coterie

of performers that started the whole tradition back in 1980. What

began as a one-shot production has blossomed into an annual event

that may outlive us all.

And even though such early regulars as John Ellington, who created

the role of Bob Cratchit, and Ron Michaelson, the original Spirit of

Christmas -- who played those parts for many years -- have long since

departed, the nucleus of the “Christmas Carol” company remains

intact. The production has had the same director, John-David Keller,

and the same Ebenezer Scrooge, Hal Landon Jr., for the full two dozen

years.

Landon, as he grows and ages in the role, has endowed his Scrooge

with increasingly more bitterness at the outset to better contrast

his joyous rebirth at the close of the play. He is a fearsome force

in the early scenes, rejecting every aspect of Christmas, but after

his overnight conversion, his jolliness and jocularity are given free

rein, much to the delight of the audiences, particularly the

youngsters.

Daniel Blinkoff, who has turned in several riveting performances

in other SCR productions, steps into the role of Bob Cratchit with

the comfort and confidence of one of the 24-year regulars. Devon

Raymond, performing as Mrs. Cratchit in her 14th “Carol,” continues

to delight with her snide remarks concerning her husband’s penurious

employer.

The crashing appearance of Don Took as the chained ghost of

Scrooge’s late partner, Jacob Marley, is guaranteed to startle young

first-timers in the audience, and Took presents an ominous specter,

also doubling as the mute Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come.

Art Koustik and Martha McFarland share most of the comedic aspects

of “Christmas Carol.” Koustik shines as both a grizzled street

scavenger and the jolly Mr. Fezziwig, employer of the teenage

Scrooge. McFarland struts her versatility in three assignments, a

charity solicitor, Fezziwig’s wife, and a larcenous harridan.

The past and present spirits, who conduct Scrooge on his

life-affirming journey, are endowed once again by the considerable

talents of Richard Doyle and Timothy Landfield, respectively. Doyle

is a smooth, businesslike nostalgia guide, while Landfield is more of

a party animal, enjoying himself and his mission immensely until his

abrupt transition at the end of the journey.

Howard Shangraw created the role of young Ebenezer in the first

version of the play and has long since grown into the role of

Scrooge’s upbeat nephew, Fred, contrasting nicely with Hisa Takakuwa

as his less-forgiving wife, Sally, also doubling as a toy salesman

and one of the street vultures.

Julia Coffey, as young Ebenezer’s onetime sweetheart, displays

comic and dramatic acumen in her few moments of stage time. Christine

Yael is a hoot as the “pursued maiden” at Fred’s party, and little

Julia Ostmann is a fetching Cratchit youngster. John Sisk is strong

as the young Jacob Marley, and Mason Acevedo nicely enacts the

crippled Tiny Tim.

Technically, the show continues to be smoothly mounted, with

Thomas Buderwitz’s settings (based on Cliff Faulkner’s original

designs) moving off and on like subway trains, while Dwight Richard

Odle’s costumes and the lighting designs of Donna and Tom Ruzika

beautifully establish 19th-century London.

Just as Dickens’ original story has become a literary classic,

SCR’s annual production, adapted by company member Jerry Patch, must

be considered a local classic as it nears the quarter-century mark.

Even after so many years, it retains its emotional hold on an

audience.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.