By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO —- if you need a feel good break in all the crazy right now, The Old Globe has the answer for you. Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big San Diego Christmas Show is a hilarious warm fuzzy show that’s great for the whole family.
Based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol the story is well known and has been adapted to tv and film in multiple ways. Just in case you’re somehow not familiar with the tale, miser Scrooge won’t let his worker go home on Christmas as he doesn’t believe in taking time off or in fun, only in work. He’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and shown the effect and error of his ways.
In this version Jewish playwrights Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen have adapted it with hilarious anachronistic references to San Diego and pop culture. As soon as the show opens they show us what to expect when they reference the stage ghost light and then say that San Diego has too many ghosts, like those at the Hotel Del, The Whaley House, or the Chargers Fan Club.
The staging of the production is a little different though in that it’s done in the theater-in-the-round, which means that the audience is on all sides of the stage, so props and scenery have to be well thought out so as not to block anyone’s view. The stage direction as well has to be very thoughtful so that all sides of the audience have something to see at all times.
The skilled professional actors handled it all with grace and humor, making use of small props and costume pieces to change characters, as well as sound effects and pantomime to represent different things like gusting wind for example. Set pieces came from the floor and ceiling to great effect. Christopher Sieber was so natural as Scrooge one might think it’s a regular gig for him, but like the other equity actors in the show, he has a long resume of other performances.
Rubber-faced Josh Breckenridge delighted audiences in his role of Bob Cratchit (and four other parts). And rounding out the cast, Dan Rosales, Catheryn Wake and Jacque Wilke kept the giggles and action going.
Should you think that you would be able to keep a straight face during the show, I assure you that even you will be laughing and joining in in the infectious and joyous sing-along at the end. They even bring out a giant dreidel at one point and mix “O dreidel dreidel” into the Feliz Navidad song.
The play runs through December 24.
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Sandi Masori is a food and theatre reviewer for San Diego Jewish World. When she’s not covering food or theatre, she helps authors self-publish, hangs out with her kids, and searches for the best sushi in town.