Review: Pierre Brault's A CHRISTMAS CAROL: SOLO at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe

With one week to go before Christmas, if you aren't quite feeling the holiday spirit yet, head over to Meridian Theatres @Centrepointe for Charles Dickens' holiday classic, A Christmas Carol performed by Pierre Brault as a solo show. 

I approached this show with some trepidation, as I didn't know what to expect with Brault's version. A Christmas Carol is near and dear to my heart, forming part of my annual holiday traditions since I was a child, faithfully watching the film every Christmas Eve on CBC television. I need not have worried; Brault clearly loves the story as much as I do, and he gives an almost reverent recital in much the same way as I imagine Dickens himself may have done. Brault recreates the setting with limited props, leaving much to the imagination, aided only by movement and the various accents used to portray the story's characters, who come from all social classes.

The lighting and sound design was used to subtly enhance the atmosphere, most notably with the accent lighting used for Marley's ghost and the sound of the clock's ominous clanging chimes. A dense blast of fog is used for the graveyard scene, effectively obscuring one area of the stage for the story's most dramatic scene.

Even though Brault is a lone actor on stage for the show's entire duration, and there is limited staging with which to occupy the audience's attention, the entire experience is utterly riveting from start to finish. In fact, the only thing I disliked was an abstract image of the Ghost of Christmas Present projected onto the back curtains, as it distracted from the imaginative nature of the show that I found so endearing.

A Christmas Carol: Solo far surpassed my expectations, and its success lies entirely with the calibre of the acting. A less capable actor than Brault would struggle to convey the many characters and emotions that run rampant throughout the story: nonchalance, hunger, pity, fear, ignorance, derision, helplessness, grief, joyfulness, and glee. I overheard more than one audience member confess to wiping away tears at the end. 

With $21 flat rate tickets (not much more than the cost of a film these days), A Christmas Carol: Solo is an absolute steal! With a limited run only through December 21st at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, don't miss your chance to see it; you can purchase tickets at the link below. 

Move over, CBC: if Brault decides to present A Christmas Carol: Solo every season, my holiday traditions will evolve to include an annual ticket. 

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