Serving Some Sentiment, Straight Up or With a Twist : San Diego Rep’s Staging of ‘Carol’

Some Christmas plays are heartwarming. Others are rib-tickling. Still others are time-wasting. Here are reviews of just a few of the holiday-themed theatrical offerings in Southern California.

*

Artistic director Douglas Jacobs’ adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” has been performed 19 consecutive Decembers by the San Diego Repertory Theatre. But while the text remains the same, the show changes every year.

This year, under Will Roberson’s masterful direction at the Lyceum Stage, the story returns to Victorian origins. But not before Roberson pares the staging. During the course of the show, the visual details of Amy Shock’s sets increase and crescendo with exquisitely orchestrated surprises.

Steve Gunderson composed and arranged poignant original music. Tom Lacy banishes memories of Scrooges Past with a performance that brings the audience from laughter to tears and back. Lacy plays off a 15-person ensemble that takes on many roles--all well. And thanks to Ashley York Kennedy’s impeccable lighting, the show glistens.

* “A Christmas Carol,” Lyceum Stage, 79 Horton Plaza, San Diego. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m., 7 p.m.; Dec. 14, 2 p.m. Ends Dec. 24. $22-$26. (619) 235-8025. Running time: 2 hours, 5 minutes.