A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within
Imagine living in Victorian-era London during the Christmas season. There are decorations placed about—the streets twinkling with fairy lights and colorful ribbons to bring in the festive cheer. A children’s choir can be heard in the distance, going door-to-door and sharing joy in their music. Families are gathered in their houses, laughing, smiling, exchanging gifts, and sharing a Christmas feast. However, one particular home stands out from the rest. No tinsel laced on the roof, no tree put up, no carols to be heard from inside the house.
This home belongs to none other than Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, the very main character of English writer Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This story was wonderfully brought to the stage by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, the directors of A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within Theatre. Although I am familiar with this classic, I have never seen a theater-adapted version of it, so this experience was very exciting.
On the night of Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge (Geoff Elliott), an elderly miser who hates the holidays, is haunted by the ghost of his long-dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him about three spirits that will visit him: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Throughout these visits, Scrooge witnesses the effects of his ignorance and negativity, and it allows him to feel. The play was divided by one intermission, and the first part before the break had the perfect ending. It captured Scrooge in a moment of emotion—a moment under the spotlight when he realized his own misery in a particular scene with the Ghost of Christmas Present.
One thing I noticed throughout the play was the amount of thought that was put into the costumes. Each scene had its colorful contrast—the monochrome palette of the Past, the vivid pop of the Present, and the somberness of the Future communicated the indirect message of the costume designer’s creativity to the audience. I especially adored the chromatic complexity of the Ghost of Christmas Present, played by actor Anthony Adu. Not to mention, he did an amazing job of portraying his character—a majestic and cheerful spirit that guides Scrooge through the events of the holiday season. It completely matched his costume, a robe adorned with fruits and leaves which I believe is supposed to represent the festivities of the “present” Christmas. It is clear that designer Angela Balogh Calin put much effort into styling the cast.
Another aspect of the play I would love to mention is the set that brought everything together, and not just the props and pieces themselves. The quick changes that the ensemble was always able to keep up with were so professional. As someone with experience in theater, I was impressed with everything. Although the set in itself was quite simple, the lighting and the way the actors used the space still made the stage come to life. One detail that really caught my attention was during the beginning when a real flame was used to light a candle prop. I found it so interesting how they decided to include this because it added a realistic approach to the set.
Although the visuals of the play had their spotlight, the true MVP was the acting itself. The emotion that the actors were able to capture in their performance was absolutely magnificent. Scrooge’s pure terror at the visit of his partner’s ghost, the lively Christmas celebrations of Scrooge’s past, the grief of the Cratchit family’s loss in the Ghost of Christmas Future’s vision—they were all emotions that I could actually feel. One scene that especially struck me was when Scrooge saw his grave in the future. The despair and desperation that he showed the spirit when he realized his fate was something I have never seen before. It really showcased Elliott’s talent as the main character, and even made me realize how well the play was adapted for the original story of A Christmas Carol. The way that the directors were able to implement the onimosity and thrill of the classic tale was perfect. It was something that I was not prepared for—the entire performance exceeded my expectations by so much, especially because it has also been a while since I’ve seen a live theater production as an audience member. The atmosphere of each scene was adapted carefully, and every actor worked together in harmony. There wasn’t a moment where a character looked out of place.
If in the mood for a Christmas classic that will place you through both sentiments and thrills, A Christmas Carol is the perfect play—whether it's viewing it at A Noise Within (they put it on every year!) or cozying up and reading it on the couch. Now that I have experienced both options, I think that it’s safe to say that this story, with over 100 adaptations, is something that is always available to bring out every holiday season!