Published 12/06/07

Ghosts and holiday spirits inhabit Everett Theatre stage

By Sam Severn

The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future have risen again, as the New Everett Theatre presents a spirited adaptation of Charles Dickens’ tale, “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley” this holiday season.

Spun from Israel Horovitz’s stage version of the Dickens classic, and directed by Sarah Stillion, this production pumps up the supernatural storyline, without sacrificing the play’s candy-coated heart.

Told through the eyes of Jacob Marley, ghost and undead partner of Ebenezer Scrooge, the meanest miser in all of 1843 London, the play sends both men on a Christmas Eve odyssey through time.

The Everett Theatre’s production creates a stage packed full of nightmares for old Scrooge.  Swirling in fog, dead souls and dark alleys, three ghosts materialize to haunt him into mending his Christmas-detesting ways, or suffer the consequences in the afterlife.

Portraying the Grinch-ish Scrooge is Richard Clairmont.  Playing the famed tightwad less for laughs, and more for his cold, cold heart, Mr. Clairmont draws upon his training as a mime and silent clown to show the beaten but still-beating spirit beneath all the Yuletide harumphing and “Christmas, bah!”-humbugging.

As the ghost Marley, Dan Niven is frighteningly good.  In shrouds  and chains, he clanks and commandeers the stage, sending chills up the audience’s spines with howls and cries for Ebenezer’s redemption, in hopes to help the old grouch avoid his horrible fate.

A recurring theme in “A Christmas Carol” is Dickens’ empathy to the plight of England’s lost and poor children.  Bringing that theme home is the Everett company’s young supporting cast. 

Dancing sprites and darling beggar kids seem to pop up everywhere.  The most animated scene-stealer is a second-grade moppet named Bradley Baker, who plays both the crippled Tiny Tim, and a haunting ghost child named Ignorance.  Even beneath the greasepaint and grubby makeup, his adorable face shines.

The company’s veteran thespians are also well represented.  Aaron Heinzen brings nobility to the role of Cratchit, Scrooge’s long-suffering clerk, while William Shindler and Lisa Spoelstra create sparks in a short scene of spurned love set in Scrooge’s past.  And Curry Smythe, as the ghost of Christmas Present, brings an ultra-huge dose of Christmas thunder.

Behind-the-scenes, this production also sparkles.  Costumer Elycia Hansen clothes the 30-member ensemble in wondrous winter wardrobe and raggedy Victorian garb.  Mike Olson’s sets are a marvel of cleverly-designed props and stage pieces, appearing and disappearing into smoke and London fog as if by magic. 

With a Jim Carrey film version due out next year, director Stillion’s hope with “A Christmas Carol” is to help the audience see Dickens’ oft-told tale “with new eyes.”

This visitation of the play to Snohomish County brings not only a treat for the eyes, but a gift of warm and snug hearts upon the coming winter nights.

“Scrooge & Marley” runs through December 9 at the Historic Everett Theatre, located at 2991 Colby.  For tickets and information, contact the box office at 425-258-6676, or visit their website: www.everetttheatre.org.