A Show as Fresh as Christmas Present

Jerry Patch’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, has had a firm hold on Orange County audiences for two decades--and with good reason. It’s well-formed and energetically performed.

It’s gone through changes over the years. In the early ‘80s, it was predominantly designed as a kids’ show, with pratfalls, gags and lots of laughs, in spite of the fact that the Dickens original is anything but a kids’ story. Patch has altered his script along the road, and for a number of years it has been quite a grown-up affair.

It still retains the flavor of plum pudding for the youngsters, but there’s plenty of dramatic eggnog for their parents, too.

The amazing thing is that most of the performances, by veterans in the main roles under John-David Keller’s brisk direction, don’t look as tired as they might after 20 years, particularly in the case of the actor with the heaviest duties, Hal Landon Jr., as the curmudgeonly geezer Ebenezer Scrooge.

His dour double takes and his grinding asides are still in fine fettle, and the only quibble in this case is his transition at the end into the giddy, reborn Scrooge. It now looks a little automatic, rather than growing from an inner feeling of charity bubbling to the surface.

There is no quibble with the solid turn of David Whalen as Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s beleaguered clerk. Whalen’s gentle approach is not at all subservient; he’s given Cratchit a breadth and depth that is rewarding both in his scenes with Scrooge and with his family.

Howard Shangraw is also very strong as Scrooge’s buoyant nephew, Fred, who comes to invite the old ogre to Christmas dinner, although a more sharply drawn sense of humor in his opening scene would lead more logically to his cavorting at a holiday party.

Devon Raymond, a little chic for Cratchit’s put-upon wife, covers the appearance with a reticence that makes her very believable. As Fred’s good friend Topper, Kirk Anderson provides just the right opaque mentality to blend nicely with Fred’s more intelligent young socialite.

The Spirit of Christmas Past, described by Dickens as a muscular teenage boy with long white hair, in Patch’s adaptation becomes a middle-aged gentleman dressed in the style of Scrooge’s youth, and veteran Richard Doyle, as always, brings to him a gentle, wise, honesty in this warm and rewarding portrait.

The tone that Craig Mathers gives in his performance as the Spirit of Christmas Present sets him apart from the general mood of this production; his bravado is overblown and unnecessary.

Note should be made of the always charming readings of Art Koustik and Martha McFarland as the Fezziwigs, the youthful seriousness of Mark Coyan as the young Jacob Marley and Richard Soto as the young Ebenezer.

Koustik is also excellent as Joe, the receiver of stolen goods. Hisa Takakuwa as Fred’s wife and Susannah Schulman as Scrooge’s youthful fiancee are very good in their reserve, but they, along with McFarland as the three Scavengers, give in to the stereotype that Cockney women shriek and cackle when they talk.

That most important spirit, the Ghost of Jacob Marley, once again bears the distinctive imprint of Don Took, who revels in his character’s edgy eeriness but never for a moment allows himself to go overboard.

*

“A Christmas Carol,” South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Tuesdays-Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, noon and 4 p.m.; exceptions: Dec. 7, 11:30 a.m. only; Dec. 24, 12 noon and 4 p.m.; Dec. 26, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. $17-$39. (714) 708-5555. Running time: 2 hours.

Hal Landon Jr.: Ebenezer Scrooge

David Whalen: Bob Cratchit

Howard Shangraw: Fred

Devon Raymond: Mrs. Cratchit

Kirk Anderson: Mr. Topper

Richard Doyle: The Spirit of Christmas Past

Richard Soto: Ebenezer as a Young Man

Mark Coyan: Jacob Marley as a Young Man

Craig Mathers: The Spirit of Christmas Present

Kirk Anderson: Mr. Topper

Martha McFarland: Mrs. Fezziwig/Solicitor/Scavenger

Art Koustik: Mr. Fezziwig/Joe

Don Took: Jacob Marley’s Ghost/Christmas Yet-to-Come

Hisa Takakuwa: Scavenger/Sally

Susannah Schulman: Scavenger/Belle

A South Coast Repertory production of Charles Dickens’ fantasy, adapted by Jerry Patch. Directed by John-David Keller. Scenic design: Cliff Faulkner. Lighting design: Donna and Tom Ruzika. Music direction: Dennis Castellano. Choreography: Linda Kostalik. Sound design: Garth Hemphill. Costume design: Dwight Richard Odle. Stage manager: Scott Harrison.