STAGE REVIEW : Little Cheer in This ‘Christmas Carol’

Impressionist Rich Little’s opening remarks at his version of “A Christmas Carol” warn purists that it probably has Charles Dickens spinning in his grave. True.

His closing remark at El Camino College Sunday night, after thin applause, was “we’ll work on it.” A woman in the next row said to her date, “They need to.” But it’s doubtful if much can be done by Wednesday’s opening in Palm Desert. The company (including Little) can pick up the stultifyingly slow tempo of the whole show, but it would be only a start.

What Little presumes is giving Dickens his spin--and even Little refers to his version of the classic as “ridiculous”--is his playing of numerous characters in the guise of his many impressions. Scrooge’s nephew Fred is Johnny Carson, Cratchit is Paul Lynde. Marley’s Ghost is Richard Nixon, Christmas Past is Jimmy Carter, etc. It’s a funny idea that goes awry when Little abandons Dickens to fall back on the security of his stand-up act, with the only difference being his brother Chris, as Scrooge, jumping in as grouchy straight man.

There is no director given credit in the program. That’s probably why the show looks so very much as though it had been thrown together hastily, and why the script, by Little, bounces around aimlessly for most of its length. A director might have shored up some of the gaps, formed clusters of laughs and given the action some momentum.

Little isn’t the only impressionist on stage. Chris Little does about one half an impression of W.C. Fields as Ebenezer, and Cliff Lawrence attempts a barely identifiable Charles Bronson and Rodney Dangerfield and, as Young Scrooge, the younger Fields. A director might have caught Scrooge and his youthful self growling their Fields out of opposite sides of their mouths.

The set is also uncredited, and looks very much like a set for a television variety show, and tour sound engineer Charles Trundy should check his equipment to correct over-modulations and stridency. Musical director Robert E. Hughes’ three-piece ensemble gives the show what energy it has in its several musical numbers, and five sprightly dancers make a valiant effort to keep one’s spirits up.

“Rich Little’s Christmas Carol,” McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert. Wednesday-Thursday, 7 p.m. Ends Thursday. $25-$35; (619) 340-ARTS. Running time: 2 hours, 5 minutes.