HSC’s “A Christmas Carol” a memorable holiday tale

HARTFORD — Nothing welcomes in the holiday season like a performance of the Hartford Stage Company’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by HSC Artistic Director Michael Wilson.
Now in their 13th year, this delightful morality tale has the familiar all-star cast lead by the effervescent curmudgeon Bill Raymond as old Ebenezer Scrooge.
This year, however, Raymond has undergone a fabulous change himself. In the past I complained that he was too sweet and silly from the start to be a real bah humbug type, but this year he has thoroughly embraced his inner Scrooge, making the old miser’s transformation at the end all the more powerful.
Raymond still has a lot of playful fun rattling his keys and fencing with his sword that turns into a light saber and then an imaginary golf club, to the delight of young and old. This year, however, he has more of an edge to his scrooge-ness that makes him thoroughly despicable, as he needs to be.
I still think this interpretation by Wilson, with the lightening, thunder, and spooky flying ghosts, is far too scary for youngsters under 5 years old, a view that is confirmed by 9-year-old Christopher Hillemeir, a three-year veteran of the holiday production.
Hillemeir enjoyed this production just as much as those he has seen in the past. He particularly liked the silly scenes, when Scrooge shakes the prized goose at people, when he lifts up the maid’s skirt, and when he burps from drinking too much.
As most know, it is a story about a miserly old man who idolizes money over friends and family, and has a vivid dream one night that shows him the error of his greedy ways, with the visitation of three spirits.
They are Christmas Past, played by the lovely and graceful Johanna Morrison, Christmas Present, played by the robust and hearty Allen Rust, and the spirit of Christmas Future, who is the scariest of them all — never saying a word and dressed all in black.
Hillemeir said that Scrooge wasn’t always mean, but his circumstances growing up changed him.
“I think he wanted to be nice, but everyone else was mean to him,” Hillemeir observed. “I think he was hurt in the past but after the dream he was happier.”
He said the lesson of the play is “never give up” and the moral of the story is if you give rather than receive, you will be happier and “you will receive love and more.”
When Tiny Tim Cratchit, played by Fred Thornley IV and Emily Weiner, appears to die in Scrooge’s dream, Hillmeir said it didn’t bring him to tears.
“I’m too young to cry about that stuff,” he said.
Hillemeir liked the humor in the show the best, something that there is just the right amount of in this heartwarming and familiar production of “A Christmas Carol” — A Hartford Stage Company tradition that will hopefully continue for years to come.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS

Four Stars
Location: Hartford Stage Company, 50 Church Street, Hartford.
Production: Story by Charles Dickens. Adapted and directed by Michael Wilson. Set design by Tony Straiges. Choreography by Hope Clark. Costume design by Zack Brown. Lighting design by Robert Wierzel. Original music and sound design by John Gromada.
Running time: 1 ¾ hour, with a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. There is no evening performance Dec. 24, Dec. 25, and Dec. 31; matinees are Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Dec. 31. There is no matinee on Saturday, Dec. 25.
Tickets: $25- $66. Children 12 and under save $10. Call 860-527-5151 or visit their website at www.hartfordstage.org.
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Bill Raymond… Ebenezer Scrooge
Bill Kux … Jacob Marley, Mrs. Dilber
Robert Hannon Davis … Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, Mrs. Dilber
Michael Bakkensen … Fred, Scrooge at 30
Allen Rust … Spirit of Christmas Present, Bert, Mr. Fuzziwig
Johanna Morrison … Spirit of Christmas Past, Bettye Pidgeon, Old Jo
Steve French… Mr. Marvel
Himself … Spirit of Christmas Future
Rebecka Jones … Mrs. Fezziwig, Mrs. Cratchit
Nafe Katter … First Solicitor, undertaker
Gustave Johnson … Second Solicitor, Ebenezer Scrooge
Michelle Hendrick … Belle, Fred’s wife
Nicholas Godfrey DeMarco … Scrooge at 15
Rebecka Jones … Martha Cratchit