I'm putting a hold on my Pre-Thanksgiving Christmas Ban for 2009. I'm typically 100% against Christmas things before Thanksgiving, but this month's calendar seemed to be full of them. Besides, even though this event started last week, it's occuring weekly on Sundays until December 20, 2009 so it's not all pre-Thanksgiving.
I'm talking about A Christmas Carol but not the one you're used to. If you want the real thing, go to the Guthrie and they'll take splendid care of you there. If you want something a little on the strange side, the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater can be counted upon for the snarky, mixed-up holiday fare your funny bones crave.
A Christmas Carol: Golden Girls Remix sets Charles Dickens' classic holiday story in Retirementville, Miami with the kookiest band of roommates to ever star in an '80s sitcom. The updated allegory features the original timeless tale, told with the cold practicality of Dorothy, the sauciness of Blanche, the silliness of Rose and the cranky ol' biddiness of Sophia.
Scrooge-like to the core (and also played by a male actor), Sophia eats a bad piece of luncheon meat and ends up on a journey through her past, present and future with the spirits of Christmas. The other girls eat cheesecake through their worry and the meaning of Christmas is revealed as discovered by the elderly Italian-American heroine. This seasonal comedy comes from the minds of Theater Arlo—rumor has it that they watched the entire Golden Girls series on DVD to research their roles.
