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Reviews A Christmas Story Reviewed by Keith Waits Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
This year, Actor's Theatre adds another surefire holiday offering alongside the annual production of A Christmas Carol, a faithful stage rendering of the classic 1983 film, A Christmas Story. Comfortably adapted by Philip Grecian, it is certain to be a big success.
The original story by Jean Shepherd, and the movie, fondly capture a nostalgic, reverent tone for Middle America in the 1940's, in this case, Hammond, Indiana. Like its forebears, this production recreates in well-observed detail the trappings of a more innocent time, and in young Ralphie, whose desire to have a Red Ryder BB gun arrive on Christmas morning drives the plot, a protagonist most of us can easily identify with. The script is funny and wise in equal measure as we witness scenes of childhood trauma and family bonding that not only follow the movie in structure, but in many of its design choices as well. Many times characters enter in specific costumes or set changes occur that are immediately familiar for anyone who has seen the movie (and with its ubiquitous broadcast schedule each December, who has not?). One could hear murmers of recognition throughout the audience.
As sweet and entertaining as this production proves to be, the script recreates the action of the movie with such fealty that the play lacks any real surprise or sense of discovery. I suppose the essential appeal of this story, with its generic title and, for most Americans of a certain age, easily identifiable coming of age experiences is a cozy familiarity: you enter the theatre knowing exactly what to expect, and you will not leave disappointed.
The cast did fine work overall, with some local young actors effectively essaying Ralphie and friends. Alec Underwood looked the part of Ralphie, but lacked the spark of energy that needs to be at the center of the story. Isaac Joseph Kresse and Carter Caldwell did well by the characters of Flick and the bully, Scut Farkas, who terrorizes him, and Peyton Evans, Jack Lindsey and Jahne Kobi Brown rounded out the group of youngsters in solid fashion, although the real scene stealer proved to be Gabe Weible as Ralphie's little brother, Randy. He got each and every laugh that came his way and never overplayed a role that could easily become cloyingly cute.
As for the adults, Justin R. G. Holcomb was right on the money as The Old Man, churning up a righteous comic fury over the creaky old furnace or the neighbor's dogs, not to mention his almost unnatural devotion to the garish, erotic totem that he receives in the mail as a contest reward. Darren McGavin's performance of this role in the film is legend, but Mr. Holcomb beautifully captures that same spirit. Suzanne Friedline is good as Ralphie's Mother, but somehow misses the tenderness of Melinda Dillon in the movie. Ana Sferruzza acquits herself nicely in the small role of Miss Shields, the schoolteacher, but Liam Craig is saddled with the difficulty of narrating the material and appearing onstage as the adult Ralph Parker. I think Mr. Craig works hard and has a few moments where he steps into other minor characters that allow him some better opportunity, but the text makes the grown-up version of Ralphie a little stiff and strands him in a somewhat affectless relationship to the rest of the action that never succeeds at recreating the warm but slightly mischievous tone of the voice-over narration in the movie.
Under most circumstances, I would feel it unfair to make such direct comparisons between two adaptations of a literary source into different mediums, but this play is specifically presented as an adaptation of the film more than the book, and it is unquestionably staged as a recreation of the movie in so many details that it is difficult to think any other way.
Some of the most fun moments onstage occur with a group of Santa's Elves, whom I assume were portrayed by ATL Apprentice Company members (the program doesn't identify them). They provided spirited and joyous support onstage during scenes and in set transitions, dancing and clowning with abundant energy and the right note of silliness. The scenic design by Scott Bradley perfectly captured the creamy, rich hues and nostalgic details of childhood memory and was accompanied by solid work on costumes by Lorraine Venberg.
Whatever the limitations that are inherent in so slavishly adapting a beloved film, this production is great fun and, at the risk of sounding cliché, a rare theatrical event that can be enjoyed equally by all ages. Even though the story is set in 1940, it is still, at its heart, a tale that resonates with many of us born much later, and a snapshot of an America that is fast fading into distant memory.
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