Jordan Wright
December 6, 2010

Kevin Harr (Jacob Marley’s Ghost), Steve Izant (Ebenezer Scrooge), and Kathleen Lovain (Young Jacob Marley’s Ghost)

Far be it from me to play the Grinch with Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale. But it’s clear from the opening scenes of “Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge” at The Little Theatre of Alexandria that there is no binge coming, unless you count Gladys Cratchit’s suicide attempts by leaping into the Thames River as holiday fancy. And there is nothing wild that will ever unfold, unless your idea of that notion is twenty children locked in a cellar with a single raw fish as nourishment.

Steve Izant (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Maria Simpkins (The Ghost of Christmas Past)

What you have here is a mess from the get-go that has no business being on a legitimate stage. Off-key singing, stilted acting, a slog-of-a-script largely untouched by actual humor. The barbs are countless and dated. Scrooge in partnership with Enron’s Kenneth Lay, handicapped children (Ghost to Tiny Tim: “He’s so cute and small and gimpy.” Mrs. Cratchit to Tiny Tim: “Are you blind as well as cripple?”) Tourette’s Syndrome jokes, miscasting, lack of sound effects or musical transitions during dark set changes and mumbling children (Unquotable due to inability to decipher the muffled code.). Add to that awkward choreography, afterthought set design and costumes that had a better life at the Goodwill.

Maria Simpkins (The Ghost of Christmas Past), Steve Izant (Ebenezer Scrooge), Kathleen Lovain (Cratchit Child 1), Aimee Meher-Homji (Gladys Cratchit), Julian Worth (Cratchit Child 2) (Front) James Senavitis (Bob Cratchit) and Peter Johnson (Tiny Tim)

Dear Theatregoers, it is only through my commitment to you to witness every shard of any play I review to its glorious, or in this case most inglorious, denouement that stopped me from the pleasure I would have had if I’d been able to exit after the opening ten minutes. But I stayed glued to my seat till the end with the dysfunctional Cratchits (The children, who Mrs. Cratchit refuses to give names to, get a certain fast food chain’s Happy Meals for Christmas dinner while she goes off to become Leona Helmsley. Does anyone even remember her?)

Aimee Meher-Homji (Gladys Cratchit), Gary Stephans (Bartender), Kevin Harr (Gentleman in Bar), and Geoff Baskir (Gentleman in Bar)

The only redeeming social value from this dreary production is a death-defying rescue by actress, Maria Simpkins, playing the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Sign me up to be the first in line wherever she pops up next as long as she’s not singing. Simpkins’ lightening fast delivery, coupled with her ace comedic timing and talent, should be featured in a solo show without the ghostly shackles of such a dismal play and cast.

For tickets call 703 683-0496 or visit www.TheLittleTheatre.com.

“Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge” runs from November 26th till December 18th.

A Christmas Carol

The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Jordan Wright
December 6, 2010

(L to R) Maya Brettell, Natalie Turkevich, Aaron Lewis, and Shawn Perry

As interpreted by Donna Ferragut “A Christmas Carol” currently playing at The Little Theatre of Alexandria is an American love letter to Charles Dickens’ treasured story of the haunting and self-redemption of the miserly moneylender Ebenezer Scrooge. Adapted for the stage by Ferragut and drawn from the original text, it gives us a portrait of mid-century nineteenth England.

Set in London Town during the Christmas season this charmingly mounted production evokes Harper’s Weekly lithographs of elegant skating parties and Victorian parlors filled with ladies in rustling silks and gentlemen in their cravats. It opens with a picture postcard of a chorus in period finery singing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and the tone is set for an intelligent rendition of the iconic novella filled with songs of the day.

(L to R) Clare Baker (Juliet Wilkins), Holden Brettell (Boy Scrooge), Melissa Ledesma-Leese (Christmas Past), and Philip Baedecker (Scrooge)

Straight away you are alerted to the superb acting and direction with a captivating cast led by Phillip Baedecker as Scrooge…his dark and grisly delivery of “Bah Humbug” sets your spine on edge from the start. In a warning the townspeople refer to the curmudgeon-on-a-mission as “solitary as an oyster” and warn all “to keep their distance”.

Larry Grey’s portrayal of the humble, obsequious clerk, Bob Cratchit, is a study in restraint and we are lulled with posed vignettes of his adoring wife, cheerful beribboned daughters and the crippled Tiny Tim, played by the adorable Benjamin Leese.

(L to R) Philip Baedecker (Scrooge), Larry Grey (Bob Cratchit), and Benjamin Leese (Tiny Tim)

In this world of wassailing Ebenezer’s nephew, Fred, played by another local top-notch actor Brandon DeGroat who plays six other roles here, gathers with his wife and friends around the Christmas tree. It was during these times that the tree, as the symbol of Christmas, had just been introduced by Queen Victoria’s consort Prince Albert as a new holiday tradition. With mistletoe kissing games and caroling the young couples portray our ideal picture of the season.

Yet the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future arrive to interrupt the proceedings with supernatural aplomb as they haunt the dreams of old Ebenezer. Melissa Ledsma-Leese, Dru Hodges and Shawn Perry bring a credible spookiness and gravitas to their roles and the lighting and eerie miasma set the unearthly tone for their visitations.

When Scrooge realizes his failings, “Why did I walk through crowds of my fellow human being with eyes downcast?” we embrace the true spirit of Christmas along with him. Enjoy this nostalgic tale with a top-drawer cast.

For tickets call 703 683-0496 or visit www.TheLittleTheatre.com.
“A Christmas Carol” runs from December 3rd till December 12th.