THEATRE REVIEW:
“FORBIDDEN BROADWAY CHRISTMAS”
at the Theatre in
KPBS AIRDATE:
This time of
year, we get equal doses of the true holiday spirit and the crass commercialism
of Christmas. Well, local theaters can
also be naughty or nice. There is the
real, heartfelt holiday message, and there is the bogus Christmas
cash-cow. In the former category is the
San Diego Repertory Theatre’s touching and beautiful production of “A Christmas
Carol.” In the latter category, I offer
my vote for theatrical holiday ripoff:
“Forbidden Broadway Christmas” at the Theatre in
Close on the
heels of its 1994 smash 17-week run, “Forbidden Broadway” returned to San Diego
last month, for a limited run. The
estimates were that 50% of the material was new. Well, maybe. But then, a
scant four weeks later, we have “Forbidden Broadway Christmas,” with mostly the
same cast members and most of the same material. I seriously doubt the 30-40% new estimate. I’ve now seen most of this stuff three
times. And none of the holiday material
even bears mentioning, except maybe the Drummer-Boy bit and “Fiddler on the
Roof’s” Tevye singing “If I Were a Gentile.”
Some of the so-called additions entailed changing a line or two from the
previous versions. The wit was neither
sharp nor biting; it’s mostly repetitive.
Ironically, all
the holiday humor spoofs the mercenary mentality, as in “Have Yourself a Money
Little Christmas.” What better way to
illustrate a song than to act it out in real life? Writer Gerard Alessandrini obviously hasn’t put the 12 years into
this material that makes the “Best of” stuff sound so good. If you’ve already seen either version of
“Forbidden Broadway,” stay home. If you
haven’t, well, some of it is very funny -- the first time around.
Now, on to
brighter holiday news. The San Diego
Repertory Theatre’s 20th anniversary production of “A Christmas Carol” is its
best ever. Hands down. Adapter/director Douglas Jacobs has finally
gotten it completely right. Stripped of
the slapstick and silliness, devoid of the excesses of music or mayhem or
“concept,” this is the Real Thing -- a simple, elegant, magnificent Victorian
“Carol,” heartfelt and moving. With
beautiful, harmonious singing, thanks to Steve Gunderson’s original music,
arrangements and orchestrations. There
is pre-show carol-singing, and songs all throughout, lovely, little known and
traditional melodies. The set and
lighting are wonderfully evocative. The
costumes are marvelous. Co-director and
choreographer Javier Velasco has added texture and rhythm to the piece, but,
again, he should background and tone down his intrusive featured dancer.
For “A
Christmas Carol” to work its real magic, to instill its timeless moral lessons
and hope for redemption, Scrooge must be right. James R. Winker is superb in the role, perhaps the best Scrooge
I’ve ever seen. He is not a caricature,
but a believable, fallible man who manages, with great good fortune and an open
heart, to enter a state of grace.
Winker makes his enormous transformations in subtle and magnificent
ways. He is not posing and posturing,
not dipping down for the easy, sleazy laugh.
He is a gentleman throughout, a heart-wrenching human who forces us to
feel the real holiday spirit.
This production
is not to be missed. Bring the family;
tell your friends. The Rep reminds us
why this play is a perennial, and why it continues to move us and touch us and
hopefully, change us.
I'm Pat Launer, KPBS radio.
©1995 Patté Productions Inc.