The timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge comes to thrilling new life as Tony Award® winner Jefferson Mays (I Am My Own Wife, Gentleman’s Guide…) plays over 50 roles in a virtuosic, master class of a performance that must be seen to be believed. This theatrical achievement comes from the haunting and hope-filled vision of one of Broadway’s most imaginative directors, Michael Arden (Tony-winning Best Revival – Once on this Island).
Every year at holiday time, theater goes to the Dickens. So many Christmas Carols ring out annually on the stages of New York that the sheer volume can be confounding: Can anyone manage to make this Victorian chestnut seem fresh again? I confess that I went to the new Broadway production with a touch of trepidation, prepared to roll my jaded eyes and mutter “humbug!” under my breath. Instead, my breath was plumb taken away. This splendid production is a Christmas miracle: The most theatrically fulfilling account of A Christmas Carol that I have ever seen.
Mays’ poignant performance; however, was somewhat marred by an excess of effects. The vocal augmentation put on the actor’s voice often made it difficult to make out the words he was saying. The video projections that indicate some of the background characters in Scrooge’s past, also felt unnecessary, if not distracting. There were also moments when I found it hard to concentrate on the narrative because of the overwhelming sensory experiences. In short, the production would’ve been more compelling had it favored simplicity rather than over-illustrating the storytelling with bells and whistles.
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