Cross-Gender Casting in ‘Christmas Carol’

When this Scrooge promises to be “a changed man,” she really means it.

Deaf West Theatre Company has put a cross-gender twist on Dickens’ chestnut by casting actress Phyllis Frelich in the lead role of “A Christmas Carol: The Ghost Story of Christmas.”

But it’s not what you might expect. This is Ebenezer, not Esther, Scrooge, and he’s meant to be the same crusty old man familiar from countless previous versions of the tale. It’s just that this time he’s played by a woman wearing a bushy gray wig, fake whiskers and costume nose.

It’s a convincing yet unsatisfying portrayal. Frelich certainly looks the part, but her Scrooge does not make a commanding presence onstage. The character lacks the delightful, die-hard nastiness essential to the best Scrooges. Once Jacob Marley’s ghost (Bernard Bragg) rattles his chains, Frelich’s miserly meanie quickly turns marshmallow--and stays that way.

Beyond the unusual casting, director-adapter Stephen Keep Mills’ production is a fairly ordinary “Carol.” The text generally follows Dickens’ original, except for the introduction of a young boy (Loren O’Reilly) as a framing device. The costumes and other technical credits are above par.

The entire performance is signed for the hearing-impaired, with several cast members providing spoken interpretations.

* “A Christmas Carol: The Ghost Story of Christmas,” Deaf West Theatre, 660 N. Heliotrope Drive, Los Angeles. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m., Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Dec. 17. $15. (213) 660-4673. Running time: 2 hours.