Theater
Review
Marley's
Ghost
HOLLYWOOD, CA - As a
prequel to the Charles Dickens classic Christmas Carol, Marley's
Ghost wonderfully supplements the legend of Ebenezer
Scrooge's nemesis and partner Jacob Marley.
Played convincingly by Keythe Farley, Marley is newly
dead and after freeing himself from a burlap body back near his
grave, must be convinced he is truly dead by the silent, but
active phantom (Richard Augustine), who looks frightfully like
an evil Cousin It. Eventually, Marley is brought to the
surreal courtroom scene to be shown how he lived his life,
including how he helped to create the monster, Ebenezer Scrooge
(played by Bob Clendenin), and why he must now be put in chains. |
|
The
one act play takes you throughout the historic Hollywood Forever
Cemetery, each scene set in a different location and culminating
in an outlandish Alice in Wonderland trial within a large
mausoleum. The
challenges of sound and lighting (designed by Geoff Korf) were
overcome by the actor's use of handheld lights and projecting
their voices during outdoor scenes.
Also,
the cast created a sound-scape of howling winds, barking dogs
and other eerie effects which surrounds the audience from the
darkness of night. Johanna McKay delivers a standout
performance as the twenty-foot tall prosecutor, while her
marionette like hands, played by Anthony Backman and Ross
Mackenzie helped bring the colorful character to life.
The prosecutor is a
|
|
diminutive,
flying spirit (Kevin Fabian) and the phantom acts as his defense
attorney.
The
ensemble cast gave an exceptional performance in this new kind
of "third dimensional" theater.
While creatively using this extraordinary environment
with an original top-notch script (by Jeff Goode),
Marley's Ghost could easily become a new
holiday classic. - R.
Harker |
|