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Los Altos Stage Company’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is based on Michael Wilson’s 2009 adaptation, so perhaps the first questions are: How does it differ from other versions? And does it work? Wilson’s work puts a heavier stress on the play’s metaphysical, supernatural elements. It is also, at crucial points, tremendously scary. And it works, thanks to a remarkable degree of commitment from director Kristin Walter’s cast.
The story begins with all of Scrooge’s deliciously cynical quotes intact, including quite a few that could apply to recent political events: “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” and “If they would rather die, then they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Gary Landis has great fun crabbing his way through these, and later really brings out the laugh lines available to Scrooge in his more terrified moments. Landis plays frazzled very well, although at times he goes a little too quiet for the folks in the back seats.
The first real difference comes soon after, as Scrooge goes about collecting from his debtors (a lovely Christmas Eve recreation). There’s a fable-like quality to these encounters, and the number three is prevalent: three vendors, who will later appear as the three spirits, offering three objects — a doll, a clock and a bottle of cider — in exchange for their debts. This device verges on being a little too artificial, but it does provide a nice structure for what is to come.
The knockout scene in the production is the appearance of Scrooge’s late partner, Jacob Marley. Bursting through the fireplace, Marc Berman plays the part with the aura of a death metal rocker. Just the power of his voice is enough to scare the bejeesus out of you, aided by a host of demons who apparently learned some quirky moves from “The Walking Dead.” The devilish lighting by Louis Stone-Collonge is superb. This intensity places a decided emphasis on Marley’s monologue, “Mankind was my business!” which really is the heart of the play.
From there, it’s all about the spirits. Kristin Hill brings a spritely aura to Christmas Past, arriving on a carriage fashioned by the cast from umbrella wheels and white ribbons. Her costume features a dazzling snow-crystal headpiece (Lisa Rozman, designer).
One of the flaws from the supporting players is a tendency to rapid-fire the difficult Dickensian language (it’s a common temptation). The antithesis is our Christmas Present, Katelyn Miller, who halfway sings her lines, with tremendous pacing and diction. She’s a hell of a lot of fun, but also handles serious passages like the introduction of the orphans Want and Ignorance and the vision of Tiny Tim’s crutch without its owner.
I enjoyed the inclusion of Scots and Irish accents (absolutely appropriate to London) and was madly impressed at the ability of the younger cast members to burst into song — notably our Tiny Tim, Jacob Crosson. Corinna Laskin does an excellent job of Belle’s breakup with young Scrooge (Max Mahle), walking that fine line between claiming her freedom and breaking her own heart. Mahle shows some range, performing both young Scrooge’s descent into avarice and nephew Fred’s effervescent optimism. Chris Mahle walks a different kind of wire as Bob Cratchit, that classic British line between fortitude and collapse, as he faces the death of Tiny Tim. He and Kristin Shaw Hall as Mrs. Cratchit make this a two-hanky scene.
The Ghost of Christmas Past is an eerie puppet fashioned by Chris Mahle, contributing further to a production that definitely leans toward Halloween. Further emphasizing the warnings of Marley, the cast wears smaller versions of his chains throughout the evening — representing the greed and selfishness we have all been guilty of. Seafus Chatmon’s set is versatile and fun. At stage right, a rotating triangle offers three different walls, while a puzzlebox of walls at stage left constantly opens and closes to different surfaces and interiors.
“A Christmas Carol” runs through Dec. 21 at Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. $25-$48. 650-941-0551 or losaltosstage.org.
