‘Carol’ still superb in silver season

Tom Titus

To those certainties of death and taxes must now be added a third --

the emergence of an ever-superior staging of Charles Dickens’ classic

“A Christmas Carol” each December at South Coast Repertory.

In some respects, it’s the same production that first was unveiled

a quarter of a century ago, in 1980, but in others -- primarily

technical acumen and ensemble excellence -- it’s a new show that gets

newer every year, even as its director and central character remain

unchanged.

For this silver-anniversary show, director John-David Keller has

added the usual subtle embellishments -- more interaction among the

Londoners on the street and the amplification of the Cratchit kids’

characters. But the biggest impression is auditory, not visual -- the

state-of-the-art sound design of Drew Dalzell, expanding on Garth

Hemphill’s original effects, which envelop the audience in crisp and

commanding clarity.

The centerpiece of this and every production of “A Christmas

Carol” since South Coast Repertory scribe Jerry Patch adapted

Dickens’ morality tale is the superlative performance of Hal Landon

Jr. as Ebenezer Scrooge -- a miser’s miser who believes everyone who

celebrates the yuletide holiday should be “boiled in his own pudding

with a stake of holly through his heart.” This attitude, as every

grade school student knows, is about to change.

Scrooge’s conversion by a trio of specters and the ominous ghost

of his long-dead partner Jacob Marley is the crux of “A Christmas

Carol,” and these otherworldly gentlemen carry out their assignments

with aplomb. Particularly effective this year is Don Took, chained

and domineering as Marley’s tortured spirit. Took also doubles as the

ghost of Christmas future -- and this time, his new entrance in that

guise is as chilling as his familiar through-the-door burst in the

Marley character.

Richard Doyle is a smooth, almost genteel specter as the spirit of

Christmas past, guiding Scrooge through his unhappy childhood and a

heartbreak in his teen years that turned his visions to dollar signs.

Timothy Landfield revels in his ghost of Christmas present, turning

his character 180 degrees shortly before his departure to leave a

moral imprint on Scrooge’s heart.

Director Keller appears in his regular solicitor assignment with

Martha McFarland, but also joins McFarland as Scrooge’s early

employer Fezziwig, replacing the longtime occupant of that role, Art

Koustik, who’s still aboard as the garrulous street merchant, with

McFarland taking her third task as a joyfully avaricious scavenger.

Daniel Blinkoff returns as the conscientious clerk Bob Cratchit,

with Jennifer Parsons returning as Mrs. Cratchit, both excelling but

inevitably upstaged by some terrific youngsters -- in the reviewed

performance, Dario Caudana as the perennially hungry Peter, Sarah

Dunn as the mischievous Martha and, especially, Caitlin Cohn as a

button-cute Belinda. Mason Acevedo fills the bill quite nicely as

Tiny Tim. All the kids are double-cast.

Veteran “Caroler” Howard Shangraw enriches his characterization as

Scrooge’s jolly nephew. Richard Soto is a stalwart young Ebenezer

(filling in for Travis Vaden at Sunday’s performance) and Madison

Dunaway is a heart-rending Belle in the more melodramatic portion of

the show.

The swiftly altering settings by Thomas Buderwitz, based on

originals created by Cliff Faulkner, propel the action splendidly.

Dwight Richard Odle’s costumes and the lighting design of longtime

“Carol” veterans Donna and Tom Ruzika further enhance the production.

Even if you’ve seen the last 24 versions of “A Christmas Carol” at

South Coast Repertory, its uplifting message continues to be

infectious, abetted splendidly this year by some superior sound

effects. It’s the ideal way to usher in the holiday season.

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

appear Fridays.