Award-winning Guthrie Theatre’s annual production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is now in its 43rd year… but don’t think that if you have seen it before it is the same every year. It is constantly being updated, and this year it has been totally refreshed under the direction of Lauren Keating. My husband (the man in the top hat greeting theater-goers in the above photo) was excited after first seeing this year’s production… and so was Rohan Preston of the StarTribune, quoted below.
“Those who are fond of Charles Dickens’ cautionary tale will be comforted by this production. The sturdy essence of the story remains intact, and offers an urgent message in an era of ever more disturbing news.
Those who thrill to the new will also be pleased. Director Keating’s top-to-bottom refresher is cleaner and leaner than in years past while not holding back on epic moments…
Instead, we get a distilled narrative with a laser focus on the redemption of one cold skinflint who, with the aid of some revelatory ghosts, gets converted into a warm, playful humanitarian. It’s counterintuitive to say while there’s less stuff, we also have more. This “Carol,” employing the same script that Crispin Whittell adapted in 2010, seems grander, in part because of the big crescendos arranged by music director Raymond Berg.”
I was there as people flocked in for this Sunday’s matinee… with many multi-generational groups in attendance. It makes me wonder how many people have grown up with A Christmas Carol as part of their annual holiday tradition. Whether this is you first or 43rd viewing, this timeless story seems more significant than ever… and this re-energized production does not disappoint.
In the words director Keating…
“You don’t have to follow the news closely to know that this is a story that we need now,” said director Keating. “It’s about healing, redemption and transformation for someone who’s cold and unfeeling. And it’s an opportunity to bring families together.”
Performances continue through December 30, 2017, click for tickets to Guthrie Theater’s A Christmas Carol.
Sharlene Hensrud, Twin Cities Arts Realtor
The HomesMSP Team – Sharlene, John, Angela
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