2016

 

A Christmas Carol has opened at Northern Stage, and it hits the post-election spot.  If you are disillusioned about where America now finds itself (or even if you aren’t), this play could provide a two-hour balm for your soul.  … Kudos to the set designer, David Esler, for gorgeous blue walls with inanimate, then magically animate, portraits.  The costuming (Aaron Patrick DeClerk) is superb throughout.  The lighting, music, and inventive projections combine to tell this story as eloquently as the dialogue.  Each of these elements combines with the others to make this the best, the very best, production of  A Christmas Carol.

— Susan B. Apel, DailyUV         

 

 

 Ethereal ghosts, scary spirits and a witty but miserly Scrooge in a darkly brooding world, along with traditional Christmas carols… although Northern Stage employed this Michael Wilson adaptation in its 2014 production, this felt substantially different – and better.  Directed by Peter Hackett, a whole world was created, but the term “special effects” would cheapen the production’s deeply affecting atmosphere.  The physical production itself was a major character in the production. David Esler’s gorgeous period set became all sorts of places with the transforming lighting and projections by Dan Kotlowitz.  Aaron Patrick DeClerk’s period costumes were gorgeous, and occasionally scary.  All was underscored by a particularly effective and beautiful sound design by John Gromada and Ben Montmagny, and music direction by Nick Wilders.  This Christmas Carol not only proved entertaining, it delivered the powerful spirit of Charles Dickens.

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— Jim Lowe, Rutland Herald & Times Argus         

 

 

David Esler’s set inside the Barrette Center for the Arts proves versatile. The blue-grey walls serve as both the interior rooms and exterior walls of 19th century London.  Atmospheric shadows and shapes are projected onto those walls at key moments during the play.  The set was designed to enable creative entrances and exits by ghastly figures. Jacob Marley’s ghost appears through a portrait in the wall, as smoke billows out of the fireplace below.  Flames appear projected onto the wall as Marley speaks.

— Nora Doyle-Burr, Valley News         

 

 

Northern Stage has a leg up with this production from its previous presentation in 2014.  With the ability to design for its new home in the Barrette Center for the Arts, this production uses the technical capabilities of the theater to great advantage.  No matter how often one has seen A Christmas Carol, it’s easy to recall the exuberant ending and forget that Charles Dickens’ portrayal of 19th century England is a dark, unblinking examination of class disparity… The set, designed by David Esler, plays a pivotal, and versatile, role in transporting the audience to 19th century England.  Esler’s tall buildings ring the exterior of the set and provide the background for multiple locations, indoors and out.  Winter light casts a blue glow on the buildings in the opening scene, and the dark shadows of tree branches wax both beautiful and frightening.  It’s a wonderful night for ghosts and Esler sets us up for that — as well as a chill reminder that winter is coming: snowdrifts and frost climb the buildings. …Fettered by heavy chains, the dead Marley (played by a very-much-alive Paul West) makes his entrance through a life-sized framed portrait, one of Esler’s pieces of stage magic.  This specter is almost like a hologram in the hands of Dan Kotlowitz, lighting and projections designer: Marley’s spirit is real enough to frighten. … It’s not long before the clock tolls one.  The clock is a great example of the design elements conspiring to strike the right effect as the night goes on.  It seems to speed ahead with its hands spinning wildly while Kotlowitz’s visual projections roam over the walls of Scrooge’s bedroom. … Northern Stage’s Christmas Carol is dark and beautiful. 

— Meg Brazill, Vermont Standard        

 

 

Northern Stage offers up its biennial production of Scrooge’s story in a production that looks very good… there is plenty of music and ghostly goings-on.  Phantoms surround Ebenezer from the play’s opening, writhing in ghoulish agony as mists and rain infuse the stage with foreboding.  David Esler’s set design serves as a fine backdrop to the many visual effects. 

— David Lampe-Wilson, Chester Telegraph         

 

2014

 

Despite Northern Stage’s extravagant and spectacular production, which opened Friday at Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, it was Mr. Scrooge — given an unusually dimensional portrayal by Gordon Clapp — who made it one of the most memorable versions the region has seen.  It was sheer delight.  …With direction by Peter Hackett, the second most important character was the staging, certainly the most extravagant Northern Stage has ever produced. The beautiful set by David Esler morphs from Scrooge’s bedroom to outdoors to everything else.  More dramatically, it becomes Scrooge’s nightmare with brilliant lighting by Stuart Duke and sound design by Ben Montmagny. … In terms of staging, A Christmas Carol is easily Northern Stage’s most ambitious production to date.  Faithful to Dickens, this version has it all — ghosts, humor, tragedy and redemption. 

— Jim Lowe, Rutland Herald & Times Argus         

 

 

Peter Hackett directs with tremendous warmth and a strong feel for the conditions of urban poverty that surround Scrooge.  Northern Stage’s winning production of A Christmas Carol is vintage Dickens: equal parts humor and indignation, hand- wringing despair and light-hearted merriment. 

— Nicola Smith, Valley News         

 

 

The acting talent that has been gathered to make A Christmas Carol come to life, coupled with the intimate stage of the Briggs Opera House, truly makes for an unforgettable production that is not to be missed. 

— Dillon Walsh, Vermont Standard         

 

 

The Northern Stage production of this Christmas classic is terrific. When you first sit down, it’s fun to contemplate the gorgeous stage setting and once you see it in action, you have a new appreciation for clever [design].  Wonderful writing, staging and acting — we were enthralled from start to finish. 

 

— Yellow House Media         

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