Bullitt County Arts Council

A World Premiere Performance

Pictures from the live performance

See pictures from Courier Journal Newspaper

REVIEW: Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
- Presented By The Bullitt County Theatre Company
by Margie Cook

There have been, and there are, numerous adaptations of Dickens' work, many are just versions of the same thing. The BCTC under the direction of Bill Breuer has created a unique piece that has something for everyone! Though he never wrote it for stage or screen, this show is still presented in the traditional spirit that Dickens intended which he described as a “Christmas Ghost Story”. Scrooge (wonderfully played by Wayne Muscar) is as greedy as ever - but here is presented as far meaner and thus provides actor John Heffly (Bob Cratchit) with ample opportunities to cringe and react - thus displaying his own great versatility.

But, unique to this version are numerous areas of humor, (typical of Breuer's directing)... sometimes ironic humor and sometimes quite cerebral. Audiences are entertained with a number of traditional Christmas Carols from the time period under the musical direction of Jennifer Lauletta. The show gives the audience a simulated trip back through time: Then are walk-ons by "Charles Dickens" as a narrator, who makes comments about himself, the Queen and even some local observations. Looking like the image of Dickens in the program, Breuer portrays him in a realistic manner, and delivers his lines quite conversationally "off the cuff " just as one would imagine having occurred when he made appearances in concert halls to packed houses (including royals) over a century ago!

There are wonderful period characterizations of some of the roles. One of the highlights of the show not to be missed, is a hilarious scene with three female scoundrels who fence Scrooges belongings after he's dead. Played by Jane Cessler, Phyl Breuer and Jennifer Trow - they fence their stolen goods to "Old Joe" (played by Dennis Smith) each bringing variations of very authentic English street accents as lovably hated scoundrels.

To contrast this there are children....lots of children... all delightful and all so very cute, including Tate Connor who plays "Tiny Tim".

It is particularly hard to produce this piece of classic literature with appeal since so many groups do this story. Then there is the challenge of working in this type of large venue - - but the company seems to have creatively tamed it and found ways of lighting, creating realistic sounds that seem to emanate from the stage, and they've brought the action forward and down to a platform as well. They've also found ways to move a lot of actors around rather quickly. This adaptation has minimum sets which creates a feeling of a "dream that lasts all night" with an approach that truly makes this show an "actors' piece" giving the audience the opportunity to focus in only on the actors, the dialog, costumes, and a few very period furniture pieces and props. This enabled the crowd to be totally immersed in the story.

Under his guidance, in just one year Breuer has attracted great talent and brought this company from relative obscurity to regional, national and international attention. The show actually conveys the original impact that Dickens intended (scary ghost story coupled with a social statement) yet provides good entertainment and has a big ending. Well worth the price of admission, I wonder what will be added next year should they present it again?