Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE ROCK & ROLL PANTO at City Theatre

Another week, another version of A Christmas Carol! Is this one ever tons of fun, though. A Christmas Carol: the Rock & Roll Panto, written by Christine Nicholson and Luther Hanson, plays at City Theatre at Sacramento City College in the Art Court Theatre. It features silly antics, a ghost in drag, and rocking music that brings you back to the greatest musical era – the 80s.

This Christmas Carol is very different from the ones normally seen around the holidays. It is done in the style of British pantomime, which has roots in the 16th century Italian commedia dell’arte. Modern panto also incorporates slapstick comedy, song, dance, and audience participation. This work has all of that in spades, hooking you with the opening number of “Paradise City” and continuing with hits like “London Calling,” “Margaritaville,” “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” and “Three Little Birds.” The songs serve to create a semblance of Dickens’s tale of greed and redemption. In between familiar scenes, actors pepper the audience with candy and calls for participation, both of which are met with unbridled enthusiasm.                                             

Directors Lori Ann DeLappe-Grondin and Christine Nicholson are at the helm of this energetic cast. Maddy Flint, Mark Silver, and Mia Matista are the resident Ghosts weaving the story and leading the audience through this musical journey. Deandre Fritz as Fred and Isabella Castro as Darlene boast stand-out vocals in “Nothing but a Good Time.” Of course, no version of A Christmas Carol would be complete without Scrooge. Kathleen Poe is a great one. She’s cantankerous and greedy, but her affection for Tiny Tim is truly cute and heart-warming.

Little ones will love the fun costumes and characters, as well as the candy, glow sticks, and a chance to win a prize. It’s a fantastic way to ring in the holidays for the whole family.

A Christmas Carol: the Rock & Roll Panto plays at City Theatre at Sacramento City College through December 15th. Tickets and more information can be found at citytheatre.net.

Photo credit: Charr Crail

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