Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Scrooge!


"A Christmas Carol" comes to you in different ways this season. Check the dates; most run for the bulk of December. All but one require paid tickets, but the prices are reasonable.

The New York Times praises Jefferson Mays' one-man reading at the LaJolla Playhouse. He acts all the parts, but it looks more like a movie than a reading, with a ton of special effects. Expect a darker "take" than you may be used to.
https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/a-christmas-carol/?fbclid=IwAR193FCSbopP_6f-WdV70ERMwTL8pW7RQLN2fOraZ2f1mJjRwz7jxc8KMdA

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis has the reputation of being one of the very best regional theaters in the country (this writer has been thrilled with the three plays she's seen there). Its version reimagines Dickens' own readings when he took the story on the road.
https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2020-2021-season/dickens-holiday-classic/?fbclid=IwAR1napwU853kugRaDFG-Xc0sfNeua0coiaXTegdR15XX8nh7Hq-pYTqd71c

And what about Scrooge with dozens of paper puppets? This double version presents contrasting approaches, one traditional and one highly contemporary.
https://www.guthrietheater.org/shows-and-tickets/2020-2021-season/dickens-holiday-classic/?fbclid=IwAR1napwU853kugRaDFG-Xc0sfNeua0coiaXTegdR15XX8nh7Hq-pYTqd71c 

And one more, from Trinity Rep in Providence; this one's free:
https://www.trinityrep.com/show/a-christmas-carol-2020/?fbclid=IwAR3m6nDGNvfu16sh-9sFB0084ahjODib7TeNvThIUIa04QKSkluNNKQLkbE