East Texas Entertainment

By STEWART SMITH
Entertainment Editor

Some things are simply eternal, and no matter how many times it gets reimagined, adapted, modified, stripped down or reinterpreted, it will always at its heart be the same timeless thing that was introduced so many years ago.

Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is one such eternal thing.

What surprised me, though, as I was watching this particular performance by the players at the Tyler Civic Theatre Center was how affecting the story is, despite being such a well-worn commodity. The story of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he is confronted with his empty, bitter life and the metamorphosis he endures as such is one that has seen no shortage of film, literary and stage adaptations. And yet, that very journey is one that still manages to resonate in a significant way despite such rampant familiarity.

Ebeneezer Scrooge is far from the most sympathetic or even relatable character. How many of us are embittered, filthy rich business tyrants who squeeze every last bit of money and happiness from those around us? (Insert "I am the 1 Percent" joke here.) And yet, despite that, there's an attachment to Scrooge. Thanks to Dickens' writing, we can still see bits of ourselves in him as he is forced to reflect on his past and visualize his future. Who hasn't looked back on their lives and questioned their motives for having the wrong priorities or for rejecting someone? Or any number of mistakes and regrets, really. That's the beauty of the story, is that while Scrooge's mistakes are often specific to his life, Dickens wants us all to take a hefty look at our own selves. The deeds are specific, but the spirit is universal.

And that's something that remains very much intact with this TCT production.

TCT newcomer (a label that can be applied to a large swath of this cast) John Kelly is placed in the shoes of Scrooge for this version, which director Danielle Rousseau has set in contemporary New York City (something that may not be immediately noticeable). This Scrooge is more of a Gordon Gekko type, a Wall Street baron who cringes at the thought of Bob Cratchit (Jack Diaz) taking even a single day off each year. (Of course, with the stock markets closed on Christmas Day, one wonders just what sort of work Scrooge would have Bob doing, but that's neither here nor there.)

Modernizing "A Christmas Carol" into this sort of setting might actually put it in danger of making Scrooge too much of a rich, slick, sleazebag, but thankfully Rousseau guides Kelly into a performance that manages to be the right kind of distasteful without ever being cartoonish. Kelly certainly seems to be having fun in the role and it shows.

One thing that must be commended about the production is that Rousseau really seems to get Dickens' story. There's all manner of dark souls haunting Scrooge, old friends escaping Hell to warn him of the future that awaits him, drunken spirits taking Scrooge to parties and even the Grim Reaper (more or less) shows up in this thing. It is a broad, over-the-top tale, and Rousseau understands this. One of the only other versions of "A Christmas Carol" to "get it" in this way is Richard Donner's "Scrooged" with Bill Murray.

I also must commend Rousseau for making a lot from a little. The "theater in the round" setup that the Center as isn't always conducive to elaborate, multi-location productions, but thanks to some smart use of minimal props and set design, the play moves fairly seamlessly from one spot to another (not the easiest task when you consider how rapidly the plot unfolds once it gets properly rolling). This, combined with the live performance of the soundtrack (a collection of Christmas carols arranged in a hauntingly mellow fashion) makes for a smart performance.

"A Christmas Carol" opens at 7:30 tonight. Admission is $18 per person. For additional performance dates, call 903-592-0561 or visit www.tylercivictheatre.com.