Kicking off their first show of the semester, the City College theater department presented the comedic play ‘Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge’ on Nov. 13. Set as a parody of the classic Christmas novel “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, the story follows Mrs. Cratchit as an exasperated mother in 1840s London.
Set in the small cozy environment of the Jurkowitz Theater, the play felt very intimate, along with a painted wooden photo stand-in in the hall that guests could take pictures with. The interactive elements made the overall experience much different from what is usually expected when watching a play.
The show offers a much-needed comedic ease into the holiday season. With witty self referential humor, the play’s addition of modern references to pop culture and theater references made it all the more enjoyable.
The acting during the play was very well done, the entire cast was incredibly animated and lively throughout the play, both in speech and body language. With the classic sour attitude and appropriately exaggerated dictation of the well-known one-liner “Bah humbug!”, AJ DeAugustine’s Ebenezer Scrooge was beautifully on point, and many added quirks and mannerisms made the character his own.
Encompassing the exhausted nature of the character, Grace Wilson’s interpretation of the overworked and pessimistic Mrs. Bob Cratchit was thoroughly entertaining, along with fellow City College theater students Yildiz Soyal, Sebastian Lopez, and Tristan Flemming playing her nagging children. All those involved created a dynamic that was amusingly relatable for many of those who might be mothers in the audience.
Considering the small cast, actors had a chance to show their range in acting abilities with actor Alex Keever coming to mind. From a businessman with an American Western accent to an angel that recently got its wings, Keever displays various side characters with distinctive personalities to watch throughout the show.
The production was also well done with the lighting and cohesive transitions between scenes. There were a couple of hiccups with the timing of certain sound effects but nothing too noticeable as to disrupt the play. .
Overall, it’s clear that the cast had a great time making the script their own and enjoyed its comedic freshness. To anyone looking for comedic relief before the holidays get hectic, this production is for you.
The performances will continue Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
