By Kathryn Olsen
At the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, large-scale performances are often the destination of attendees, but the Brinton Black Box theater is the perfect setting for an intimate, hearthside recounting of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This novella was penned in 1843, but the one-man show finds the author on his 1867 tour of the United States. The script is, in fact, adapted by Greg Oliver Bodine from the condensed narrative used on Dickens’ own tour.
As the show opens Charles (Matthew DelaFuente/Dave Burton) comes in a great excitement to a sitting room, having just left the train in Salt Lake City, without his luggage, and worse, without his copy of the titular book. Undaunted, he recounts the key plots and dialogues associated with the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a London miser who considers Christmas a humbug and believes those in danger of dying from starvation should hurry up and decrease the population. He is uncompromising, unsympathetic, and unmoved by the good spirits of everyone from his nephew Fred to his clerk, Bob Cratchit. That night, in the dark and frigid apartment that once belonged to his friend and partner, Jacob Marley, Scrooge receives a visit from Marley’s ghost. The apparition warns him that he is bound to suffer for his heartless ways, but he may be changed by the visitation of three ghosts throughout the night. What ensues is a thoughtful and moving attempt to reform the man who does not know how to keep Christmas in his heart.
Delafuente (Burton) is delightful from the start. He works naturally with the audience, even improvising puzzlement when someone offered to lend him their Kindle to replace his missing book. His Dickens is obviously an entertainer with a kind heart, but he sets this aside to become immersed in the various characters. Some of the characters blend into each other, such as the businessmen soliciting charitable contributions who are as hopeful and affected by the Christmas spirit as Fred. On the other hand, the conversation between the impatient Scrooge and his otherworldly first visitor is striking as Scrooge fidgets and Marley rocks back and forth in distress. His interpretation of the Ghost of Christmas Present is extremely jovial, but this joyfulness is mirrored in a timid and humble way as he speaks through the voice of Tiny Tim.
Apart from the various characters he plays, Delafuente’s (Burton) stage presence is varied and intriguing. There are moments at which he takes himself quite seriously as the author, but he also perches on the edge of his seat to share a confidence with the audience or flattens himself to the ground to search for evidence of specters. The Brinton Black Box plays host to a very simple set, but the actor makes it feel as vast as a London street or as cramped as the Cratchit home and his use of a scarf in lieu of props is done to great effect.
Director Adam Cannon has helmed a production that captures the classic tale of one man’s introspection in all of its intended emotion. The Costume Design by Elizabeth Crandall is not only period-appropriate, but plays a part in distinguishing both characters and economic class and are crafted by seamstresses Jessica Moody and Katrina Young. Stage Managers Daniel Barton and Spence Powell have worked efficiently with Scenic Construction and Painting team Sophie (Rem) White and Tony Wright, while Technical Director Pam Cluff and Assistant Technical Director Robert Seely keep things running smoothly so that the audience is fully transported to another time and circumstance.
This riveting show is playing through December 22, so there are many opportunities still available for audiences to meet Scrooge, the Cratchits, and their associates. Don’t miss this magical journey that will delight children and adults alike.
The Covey Center for the Arts Presents A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, adapted by .Greg Oliver Bodine.
The Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
November 29 – December 22, 2021, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $14-16
Covey Center for the Arts Website
Covey Center for the Arts Facebook Page
A Christmas Carol Facebook Event
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