Two River Times
December 12, 2008
Scene On Stage
A Zany Christmas Carol
In Asbury Park
Check your bah-humbug at the door. . .
By Philip Dorian
And now for something new and different: a musical adaptation of
Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. Say what? New and different?
There's one around every corner, isn't there?
Well, yes, but they're not like ReVision Theatre's Scrooge in Rouge,
running through December 28 in Asbury Park. And 'thanks' are
definitely in order for this irreverent and outrageously funny tale
of ye olde Scrooge.
What to do when all but three , Lottie Obligato (Linda Marie Larson),
Vesta Virile (Katherine Pecevich), and Charlie Schmaltz (Doug
Shapiro), to play all 23 roles.
And healthy they are. The three careen through the Ghosts of
Christmases Past, Present and Future; various Cratchits; numerous
Fezziwigs; and assorted other Victorian Londoners. The result is a
fast-paced 90 minutes with lively song-and-dance and about a hundred
gags that are corny, bawdy or a combination thereof. That nearly all
(nobody's perfect) are laughworthy is a tribute to a performers and
to writers Rich Graham (book and lyrics) Jeffery Roberson
(additional material) and Yvette Hargis, who is credited with "other
interesting bits," which is the year's most intriguing credit.
Ms. Pecevich plays Ebeneezer and a couple of other bit parts along
the way. She's as accurate (if offhand) a Scrooge as I've seen
locally. Out of character, commenting in asides to the audience,
she's a droll delight. (If "walk this way" isn't among your favorite
comic bits, go watch Miracle on 34th Street again.)
Mr. Shapiro's antic take on Marley's Ghost is supremely funny, but
darned if he doesn't top himself with his loose-limbed Fezziwig
nephew. (His manic cavorting would drive even a kind-hearted uncle
away.)
You cannot acquire pinpoint-perfect timing. Like Ms. Larson, you
must be born with it. Introducing the show with the wrong author's
name an excellent joke so obvious I'm surprised I never heard it
before and slipping in and out of a dozen fully realized roles,
including a pickle (see it to believe it), she doesn't miss a beat
of music or comedy.
Musical director Justin Stoney is positioned off to the side with his
piano, where he provides faultless accompaniment and an occasional
impertinent out-of-the-blue remark, and choreographer Mimi Quillin
keeps the flailing arms and legs under control (barely). Costumer
Abby Walton deserves co-star status. It's not just the number 23
outfits for 23 characters that impresses. The outlandish styles
and even the colors provide a comic context on their own.
The key to staging a deceptively loose show like Scrooge in Rouge
lies in balancing control with freedom. Michael Barakiva's direction
is disciplined, but not at the expense of devil-may-care. (His rest-
cure is progressing nicely, I hear.)
A song lyric promises "fancy scenery and acting with panache." Kip
marsh's sets might not be fancy, but you'll fancy the clever devices
that enhance the goings-on. (An upright bed on the back of a door?
Why not?) As for panache, "flamboyant confidence of style or
manner," that's an understatement!
"Scrooge in Rouge" runs through Dec. 28 at the refurbished VFW Hall,
701 Lake Avenue, Asbury Park. Performance are Thurs-Sat at 8 pm (no
performance Dec. 25); Sun. at 7 pm; matinees Sat. Dec 27 at 3 pm and
Sun. Dec. 28 at 3 pm. For information and tickets ($25 - $35): 732-
455-3059 or online at www.revisiontheatre.org.
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