Devised theater is (or should be) an exciting and fun process. It is the process of collaboratively creating new work through improvisation and exploration. The final product can be inspiring, whimsical and impactful when executed perfectly, or messy, unfinished and forced as productions balance creating a cohesive ensemble and an innovative piece simultaneously. Further, predicting the impact on the audience can be challenging as some elements that the collaboration loves in rehearsal could be lost in its transference to the stage.
Luckily, North Coast Repertory Theatre’s newest offering of the devised A Christmas Carol is helmed by Isabel Semler and Shawn Wagner, two people who not only understand these challenges, but are well educated and thoroughly equipped to guide this talented ensemble through them. The result is a fun, interactive and casual experience that moves with precision and ease.
The Storyteller (Scott “Q” Marcus) guides us through the plot. Curmudgeon Scrooge (Craig Benson) is visited by three ghosts that show him past, present and future Christmases to motivate change. His employee Bob Cratchit (Brad Harder) spends the day with his family and friends (Kathlina Eayre, Alex Benn, Cory Roberton, Trevor Mather, Rue Sipma, Isabella Snow Oliveira) to celebrate the blessing of another holiday with their sickly son Tiny Tim (Ella Mather). Banking on everyone knowing the basics of the story, this production excels in how to tell it in a fresh way. Marcus gives instructions for audience participation via cue card that I am uncertain the piece needed but was fun in practice. The ghosts are fantastic, oversized puppets with personalities amplified by their puppeteers (Julie Douglas, Rachel Houska, Kate O’faolain, Filip Amborski). A lovely live music trio and beautiful choreography (Shawn Wagner) make this classic relevant, unique and quaint.
Benson displays his usual fantastic acting, driving the show, and Wagner takes advantage of his impressive dance background with a stunning dance piece. Marcus is charismatic with a combination of confidence and innocence that puts smiles on faces. The puppeteers are simply magical and the best display of what a tight ensemble can accomplish as they seamlessly work in tandem to give already impressive props brilliant caricatured animation. Equally, the rest of the cast meld together to create the potpourri of Christmas charm that warms the heart. I could not take my eyes off Oliverira and Mather as these young actors filled the space with the absolute joy of theater. They are mesmerizing. I would have liked to see more consistency (or the existence, in some cases) of accents and especially the juxtaposition of proper British and Cockney, but it’s not distracting.
Denise Ryles’ costume design is absolutely incredible. I would pay to see them on mannequins in a museum installation. The fit, the construction, the attention to how the lights strike them — all next-level design. Kaya Corcoran’s lighting design made beautiful stage sections but doesn’t quite make a full and cohesive picture in all the scenes. In addition, fully utilizing the movers with gobos could create an added texture and motion that would add life to the designs. The inconsistent proportion of the set design by Wagner adds to this. The unclear delineation or perhaps the enormity of empty space makes the specificity of location murky. Perhaps a larger bed moved closer to center and/or repositioning the piano and changing the size of the table could alleviate this. However, I am a big fan of the magic of a scrim and its presence brought me joy. Still, that one element could be enhanced by the rest of the scenic design. Where the design had shortcomings, the cast easily filled and the movement and blocking masks the issues.
The audience left the performance with smiles, peace and a song: exactly what is needed for a Christmas show. If you need the ease of a simple and beautiful holiday-themed production, this is the one to see. Get your tickets, spike your hot cocoa, relax and smile. Merry Christmas.
NCRT’s production of A Christmas Carol continues at the 5th and D Street Theatre on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Dec. 7. Visit ncrt.net. l
Tiggerbouncer Custodio (he/she/they) is an empowered queer Indigenous Filipino artist whose works have been seen on Humboldt stages and elsewhere.
COMING SOON
Ding, dong, Ferndale Repertory Theatre presents a musical production of The Wizard of Oz Nov. 21-Dec. 21, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Visit ferndalerep.org.
This article appears in The Stopwatch.