From Richard Daniels
Director Monroe Arts Center
Last Friday night, the Monroe Theater Guild (MTG) hit a high watermark with their production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," most importantly, due to the performance of the professional actor Richard Hilger in his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.
There is more that is professional than the lead actor, however, in this production. The set is abstract, a series of platforms and steps while the backdrop consists of large strips of hanging burlap. There are numerous entrances and exits. Props are minimal and some serve multiple purposes. This sparseness allows the audience to engage their imaginations: To fill in the spaces with doors, windows, and furniture. And given what they are going to witness, their imagination needs to be fully engaged.
"A Christmas Carol" is a standard among theaters throughout the country and has been adapted to film numerous times. Far more often than not, production's caricature Dickens' characters. Not true of Hilger's portrayal of Scrooge. Indeed, his portrayal plumbs the depths of the human soul, which is absolutely essential given the dramatic transformation Scrooge undergoes: From someone cold, calculating, and stingy to someone warm, kind, and generous.
The culminating scene of Scrooge's transformation occurs in front of his own gravestone. This is as dramatic a piece of theater as anything you'll witness. Scrooge is racked with pain and in the depths of agony, so much so the agony is palpable.
Scrooge's journey with the Christmas ghosts is reminiscent of Shakespeare's King Lear with his Fool on the heath, though Lear confronts nature while Scrooge confronts the arc of his life. An analogy to childbirth is fitting for this scene as well. Scrooge is both mother and child. He is reborn through the agony of dispelling his past life, and on the other side is filled with joy and gratitude. Through the pain and agony, he has acquired a new life.
Hilger last portrayed Scrooge at the storied Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis some 30 years ago. The Guthrie was so impressed with his Scrooge they hired a Hollywood production company to film it. Last week's performance may be more than equal to that. This level of acting is a rare experience and not to be missed.
Editor's note: The MTG production of "A Christmas Carol" continues this week with shows tonight, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Director Monroe Arts Center
Last Friday night, the Monroe Theater Guild (MTG) hit a high watermark with their production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," most importantly, due to the performance of the professional actor Richard Hilger in his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.
There is more that is professional than the lead actor, however, in this production. The set is abstract, a series of platforms and steps while the backdrop consists of large strips of hanging burlap. There are numerous entrances and exits. Props are minimal and some serve multiple purposes. This sparseness allows the audience to engage their imaginations: To fill in the spaces with doors, windows, and furniture. And given what they are going to witness, their imagination needs to be fully engaged.
"A Christmas Carol" is a standard among theaters throughout the country and has been adapted to film numerous times. Far more often than not, production's caricature Dickens' characters. Not true of Hilger's portrayal of Scrooge. Indeed, his portrayal plumbs the depths of the human soul, which is absolutely essential given the dramatic transformation Scrooge undergoes: From someone cold, calculating, and stingy to someone warm, kind, and generous.
The culminating scene of Scrooge's transformation occurs in front of his own gravestone. This is as dramatic a piece of theater as anything you'll witness. Scrooge is racked with pain and in the depths of agony, so much so the agony is palpable.
Scrooge's journey with the Christmas ghosts is reminiscent of Shakespeare's King Lear with his Fool on the heath, though Lear confronts nature while Scrooge confronts the arc of his life. An analogy to childbirth is fitting for this scene as well. Scrooge is both mother and child. He is reborn through the agony of dispelling his past life, and on the other side is filled with joy and gratitude. Through the pain and agony, he has acquired a new life.
Hilger last portrayed Scrooge at the storied Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis some 30 years ago. The Guthrie was so impressed with his Scrooge they hired a Hollywood production company to film it. Last week's performance may be more than equal to that. This level of acting is a rare experience and not to be missed.
Editor's note: The MTG production of "A Christmas Carol" continues this week with shows tonight, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
