Bristol Riverside Theatre presents playwright Mark Brown’s take on ‘A Christmas Carol.’
By: Stuart Duncan
The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, as the title implies, owes much to Charles Dickens, including most of the characters and large amounts of phraseology. It is New Jersey-born playwright Mark Brown’s clever re-mastering of A Christmas Carol, transferred to the stage and to an English courtroom.
At first glance, the show would seem to defy Dickens’ powerful final paragraphs in which the old miser, Scrooge, has a redemption and pledges to "honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." Well, it is now one year later and Scrooge has sued Bob Cratchit; his nephew, Fred; his housekeeper, Mrs. Dilber; as well as the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future. The charges range from kidnapping and attempted murder to stalking, slander, theft and pain and suffering.
But playwright Brown has a few surprises for us, and Bristol director Edward Keith Baker makes the most of them. First he has given us a presiding judge who might well be Scrooge’s long-lost brother, and Baker has assigned the role to Douglas Campbell, a Shakespearean actor of considerable note. Born in Scotland, but for many years a citizen of Canada, he is still remembered for an extraordinary performance in The Dresser at Bristol years ago.
And Brown has also created the role of Solomon Rothschild, the prosecutor, played with great prowess and charm by Ezra Barnes, who finds plenty of fun in the dialogue. Now add David Howey and his 30 years of Shakespearean acting in the role of Scrooge himself, and the mood in the courtroom is delicious.
Further, Moira Wylie (Campbell’s real-life wife) plays both Sara Wainwright (remember the society lady who accosts Scrooge on a London street in search of funds "for the less fortunate"?) and Mrs. Dilber, and has a wonderful time with both roles. Tim Moyer plays Bob Cratchit as well as Jacob Marley. And Andrew Boyer plays the court bailiff with a jolly sense of elfishness.
The title of the show is somewhat misleading Scrooge is not on trial, his tormentors of a year past are. And the ending is obtuse enough to leave questions, but by then you may not care much. It’s not Dickens. But then not many shows are these days, and it is good fun and some terrific acting.
The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge continues at Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe
St., Bristol, Pa., through Dec. 10. Performances: Tues.-Fri. 8 p.m.; Sat. 2, 8
p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Tickets cost $29-$37. For information, call (215) 785-0100.
On the Web: www.brtstage.org