Centerstagechicago.com; Theater Review
A Very Chicago Christmas
Attending the Goodman Theater's annual production of "A Christmas Carol."
Monday Dec 04, 2006 by Gretchen Kalwinski
Pictured in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol adapted by Tom Creamer directed by William Brown are (l to r) Martin Yurek (Ghost of Jacob Marley) and Jonathan Weir (Ebenezer Scrooge).
photo: Michael Brosilow
I'll admit it: I'm one of those holiday-nerds who cues up my iTunes holiday playlist the day after Thanksgiving. Even so, I haven't attended the Goodman Theatre's long-running annual production of "A Christmas Carol" since I was a kid, carted in from Northwest Indiana on a class field trip. The reason is twofold: One, the crowds, and Two, the germy half-pints who tend to make up a large portion of the audience.
This year I decided to throw caution to the wind and see the Dickens classic on the weekend following Thanksgiving with my mom. We had some extra time before the show and could have checked out the Macy's Christmas windows kitty-corner from the theater (and with a Mary Poppins theme), but as Marshall Fields die-hards we turned up our noses at the opportunity and passed them by with nary a second glance.
Instead, we walked to Dearborn and Washington to take in the Chriskindlmarket (an outdoor holiday bazaar sponsored by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest) at the Daley Center. Chriskindlmarket usually runs during the month before Christmas and shows off a big, lighted tree, craft and gift booths, and even Santa Claus.
Some of the crafts embrace the cheeze-factor, but there are also a good amount of delicate hand-carved and glass-blown ornaments, pretty lace tablecloths and artfully clever puppets and toys—and foodstuffs; among other delectable offerings were brats with kraut, apple cider, almond-apricot strudel and sweet-cheese fritters.
Satiated, we made our way to the Goodman, listened to the carolers in the lobby, and took our seats. A fun fact: "A Christmas Carol" has been running since 1978 but the company changes it up a little every year to keep things fresh. I found that the timeless play was even better than what I remembered as a kid: The authentic sets were spot-on, the flying and ghostly effects were clever, and Scrooge was a deliciously cranky (and funny) curmudgeon, backed up with a talented and believable cast.
Years of honing the production means that the look of the sets is authentically Dickensian and are neither amateurish or overdone. They even managed to find a Tiny Tim who was legitimately cute instead of cloying.
More than that, the whole experience felt communal in a really good way, and the layout and intimate size of the Goodman lends themselves to that vibe. Though I'd originally balked at the idea of hoards of kiddies, I didn't mind the ones I ran into; it was refreshing to attend this well-worn production with a gaggle of tots who were probably seeing their first play ever and it lent some extra jubilation to the event. The lessons in A Christmas Carol may seem to be "true meaning of Christmas" cliches, but hey, some tales bear repeating, and the morals are well-worn ones that aren't bad to be reminded of now and then, right?
After the production, we tried to go to Petterino's, the legendary bar and restaurant attached to the theater, but it was too busy, so we opted for the Atwood Cafe around the corner in the Hotel Burnam instead, and sipped on an overpriced spiked cider and Manhattan, watching the State Street passerby.
And that soft fuzzy buzz you feel? That's how you truly know that the holidaze have arrived.
Guidebook rating: It goes without saying that all holiday-nerds should attend the production at least once to kick-start their holiday season. But even if you're not a holiday nerd, and are made to attend in order to appease family members or out-of-towners, you're going to have a blast. Make the most of being downtown by checking out the Macy's windows and sucking down a cold-weather drink at Petterino's or Atwood Cafe.
Stats: A Christmas Carol runs two hours and five minutes including one 15-minute intermission. It generally runs the Sunday after Thanksgiving through Dec. 20.
