'A Christmas Carol' is so familiar and so well-known—with everyone having a favorite version—that finding a new way to present and tell it is a perennial challenge. But, Jefferson Mays’ one-man Broadway show is up to the challenge. timteeman's review:
may be short, but it is so familiar and so well-known—with everyone having a favorite version —that finding a new way to present and tell it is a perennial challenge.is no small feat—as reflected by the warm standing ovation for Mays the night this critic attended. But the magic of this production, adapted by Mays, Susan Lyons, and director Michael Arden, is down a lot to Laffrey’s stupendous stage design, which is a riot of trickery and surprises, Ben Stanton’s lighting, and Joshua D.
This critic won’t ruin what is easily the best New York stage shock of the year, but it happens right at the beginning of—and freaked our audience out deliciously. Director Arden revels in as many visual wow moments he can stuff into a 90-minute show. These begin with Mays illuminating a darkened stage with candles, right through to astonishing scene changes on the stage itself—and great “how did they do that?” moments. These include scene changes—including a party scene, and a house decorated sumptuously—and the stage presence of Mays himself . Danny Gardner as “the Spectre” supplies another set of open-mouth causing effects.
Indeed, these visual tricks are so stunning that the story struggles. There’s the problem of knowing it, and despite Mays’ best efforts, finding a new way to say it, or tapping into a reach seam of characters that are so seared in the popular consciousness already. In places the story drags, and both my theater and I lost track of the story, or the voices—again, not Mays’ fault. 50 characters is a lot; and he is such an enthusiastic steward you will still find a familiar lump in your throat forming as the saga of Tiny Tim solidifies into view. And you will also feel the joy of the post-spooked Scrooge waking up on Christmas morning, full of the joys, ready to make amends.
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