The Dio has a delicious Christmas treat in store for you this year (and I’m not just talking about Chef Jarrod’s holiday-themed pre-show meal!) in the form of Tom Mula’s adaptation of his own book, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. It’s an entirely different take on the familiar Dickens Christmas tale, and it is fun, cleverly conceived, a bit creepy in its telling, and ultimately quite cool.
Sonja Marquis directs the very energetic show’s four actors (left to right in photo above, Victor McDermott, Matthew Wallace, Elizabeth Fritsch, and Mark Vukelic) and makes great use of the space for this romp through (not always) Dickensian territory. Set, Lighting, and Sound design by Matt Tomich are terrific throughout.
In order to rid himself of the chains he has forged through life, link by link, Jacob Marley is assigned the unenviable task of reforming his partner Scrooge — the first act basically sets this up, the second plays fast and loose with the original Christmas Carol tale — not always taking a straight path, but always entertaining. We find out about Marley’s own ghosts (take it or leave it, purists), and his interactions with the world around him. You think Scrooge was a baddy?
Matthew Wallace turns in a strong multi-faceted performance that is much more difficult than it looks to the audience – and he does a terrific job. The rest of the cast plays everyone else (the four play 18 roles all told). The original production of the play was done as a one-man-show and was later adapted for a 4-member cast and has met holiday acclaim nationwide. I can’t think of four better performers than those on stage here. From spirit guides, to ghosts, to Dickens’s characters from the novella, to all the other assorted roles played here, the cast is uniformly good and the energy is palpable in this show that never slows down.
Part tragedy, part comedy, part holiday play, part morality tale, you’re in for a very entertaining evening at the Dio. The show is different, and it is not like all the other fare out there, and despite its bizarre journey, you’ll still go home feeling quite filled with holiday spirit — and that’s what a show at Christmas time is all about, right? (Well, that and turkey and ham for dinner, right? Thanks Jarrod!).
Highly Recommended.
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol continues through December 31st at the Dio Theatre in Pinckney, MI. Tickets (selling out very quickly) can be had at diotheatre.com or 517-672-6009.
Mostly Musical Theatre 
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