A Christmas Carol Gets A(nother) Makeover
There are no shortage of Dickensian options for D.C. theatergoers, from the traditional Ford's production to the indulgent Arena Staging, set in 1941. The innovative RussianGeorgian-influenced dance-inspired theater company Synetic has thrown its hat into the ring, and the results are worth seeing, if not as unique as one might expect.
Given its history of wildly divergent takes on popular classics, it's a bit of a surprise that this Christmas Carol, in many ways, is rather traditional. All those familiar characters, from the Ghost of Christmas Past to Tiny Tim, are here; the twist is that eight actors don multiple costumes to tackle all the roles. Dickens' language remains intact, and the show is actually more dialogue-heavy than many of the company's past efforts - and sometimes, that dialogue can feel a bit stilted in the hands of the actors.
Still, when the dancing's involved, the results are spectacular. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Regina Aquino) whisks Scrooge (Irakli Kavsadze) away in a time-traveling whirlwind invoked by spinning actors and actresses; a handful of performers convincingly re-create a galloping carriage to transport Scrooge and the Spirit of Christmas Present (Niki Jacobson). When the ghost of Jacob Marley (Dan Istrate) shows up, he's a bundle of chains and pulsating hands beneath a flowing black sheathe. Costuming in general can sometimes set this show apart from the traditional, particularly the imposing golden mask and red robes that Christmas Present dons.
Kavsadze's Scrooge-like sputtering isn't always convincing, but he's an utter delight once he gets caught up in the magic of the holiday. One casting misstep is the choice of Irina Kavsadze to play Christmas Future - she's simply not a frightening figure (though director Istrate's choice to reveal her face below the brooding hood may also be playing a role here). But Kavsadze is lovely in all her other roles, and the cast generally gels well, particularly in a climatic scene foreshadowing a gloom fate for Scrooge. That scene, most of all, has a frenetic choreographic feel that is signature Synetic.
A Christmas Carol runs through December 23 at the Rosslyn Spectrum. Tickets are available online.