By Matthew Rodriguez
The first thing you notice walking into the Independent Shakespeare Company in Los Angeles, California to see A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens is the warm and inviting atmosphere. Cookies here, laughter there, a sea of calm and loving eyes from every crew member. You quickly get a sense they all deeply believe in their work and that their joy comes from your enjoyment. A reminder of the pinnacle of how theatre should be presented, that they are your friends in a location that invites art to flourish. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is much like the annual Christmas story playing on every television set, a cartoon tale everlast. What is different is that it is performed by Charles Dickens himself, there to reflect and entice you to listen carefully to the words spoken as it dances onstage. This production will turn any Ebenezer Scrooge jolly without the use of any past, present, or future ghosts.
During his lifetime, Charles Dickens was known for giving performances of his readings and ISC continues this tradition. David Melville portrays the famous author along with nearly all the characters in the story, from the ghost of Scrooge’s former business partner Jacob Marley, to innocence of Tiny Tim to a hilarious portrayal of a dog. Melville is joined by (on alternating evenings) Kalean Ung and Amanda Hootman who interject to accentuate the story. The familiarity of A Christmas Carol is present but the tone reimagined with Dickens reading convey his wit and humor.
Director Melissa Chalsma deftly directs Melville as he plays Charles Dickens with an eclectic mastery. The show lives and dies on the actor’s ability to captivate and at no point does his piercing eyes let the spoken words settle. Despite the numerous characters required to perform, Melville flows with as many as five character switches within one scene. The differentiation is precise, as if Melville met all of his characters. Ebenezer Scrooge is right there, his seething fully realized and lets us feel the transformation into hope at the end of the play with ease. At no point does Melville let up, every scene brims with urgency. His 15 years playing the character shows.
Kalean Ung’s ability to listen is unrivaled. The best way to describe the chemistry is like the backing band to a jazz soloist, accenting Melville in a way that allows the show to play. Her interjections strike perfectly, a rhythmic piano that knows the next chord but comes off improvised. Ung’s vocal performance comes from out of nowhere, but confirms her talent. Ung is an essential element that should not be overlooked.
The added immersion into the play is thanks to the work of the production staff. While there’s no mention of the set decorator, they must be commemorated for their work. Their set looks like it was pulled from a historical museum and the props even elevate themselves to their own jokes. The lighting designer Bosco Flanagan’s work accentuates the cold monologues and brings a liveliness to the celebrations. The clothing work by Garry Lennon makes it seem as if no cost was spared as the dress and suit for the main characters propel the audience’s projection into the story. Most importantly, every crew member at the theatre I met greeted me with a smile and gentle direction. Simply put, this is the perfect environment to watch a play.
A Christimas Carol with Charles Dickens by the Independent Shakespeare Company feels like a hug, an embrace from your smiling family on Christmas Day. With this performance, ISC makes it clear that theatre is not dying but instead flourishing. This is the play to bring your whole family to start your holiday season off right. Much like Ebenezer Scrooge redeeming himself from old habits, this redemption of art in a contemporary flair cannot be missed.
Independent Shakespeare Company Presents A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens, adaptation by David Melville, Melissa Chalsma, and Jennifer Mefford.
ISC Studio, 3191 Casitas Avenue, #130, Los Angeles, CA 90039
December 12-29, 2019 7:30 PM
Tickets: $25-60
Contact: 818-710-6306
Independent Shakespeare Company Facebook Page
A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens Facebook Event
0 Comments