Jefferson Mays Proves Wonder in Storytelling with Solo Performance of "Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story..."

Closing this Sunday at The Old Globe 

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

Jefferson Mays. Photo by Jim Cox.

Seeing these authors/playwrights like Shakespeare and Dickens and how their work goes from generation to generation, to staging and adaptation after adaptation, is mindblowing. Tony and Craig Noel Award winner Jefferson Mays goes back to basics in a one-man show reenacting all the characters in Dickens's Christmas Carol' including his parents, who would read the tale to the family every Christmas.

This adaptation by Mays, Susan Lyons, and Michael Arden saw the light in Los Angeles, produced by the Geffen Playhouse in 2018, and a Streaming version by The Stage came for the pandemic in 2020. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein directed The Globe's iteration in a stripped setting with just a small table. Mays's histrionics have a true, raw storytelling experience that appeals to the senses and the imagination. Having it in the round makes it even better as he moves throughout the circular space, talking directly to the audience and seeming almost interactive. Not all productions display a clear direction; here, it is crisp, almost imagining or viewing the one-on-one conversations between Edelstein and Mays along with the creative decisions and movements.

Jefferson Mays. Photo by Jim Cox.

Joel Britt's lighting design marks and paces transitions between ghosts, and the actor's pauses to share a brief anecdote or experience with the story. Jefferson Mays is masterful with intention and tone, bringing intensity and feeling to each line. This is truly a good theatre experience; having it be 80 minutes long with no intermission is even better.

The production closes this Sunday, and I do not consider it for children. Families immediately assume it
is definitely a go because it is a Christmas tale, but it can be dense for them. It can be the exception if the child is in theatre or used to shows. What is great about the dynamic at The Globe is that The Grinch is playing next door, with the same running time, so there are options. Another recommendation is to see this performance and the full production at Cygnet. I consider these to be a theme park experience for theatre lovers.

Again, there are only a few performances left. It is the last stretch before Christmas; it is worth it to make the effort. For more information, please click HERE.