by Dakota Antelman
Despite minor qualms with the ensemble performance, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which just wrapped up a five performance run at the Hanover Theater in Worcester, manages to engage not only its young patrons, but also their parents and older relatives.
The musical, written by Timothy Mason and directed in Worcester by Matt August, follows the classic storyline of Dr. Seuss’ book of the same name. The Grinch (Stephan Karl) embarks on a mission to end Christmas for the peppy Whos who live in a town near his mountain cave. Upon meeting the innocent Cindy-Lou Who, however, the Grinch softens and triumphantly returns the presents and decorations he stole.
While the show is obviously directed towards its younger viewers, the performance does not leave adults feeling unfulfilled. Rather, the brilliant costumes, cartoonish accents, storybook sets, and remarkably immersive acting capture any and every eye.
Stefan Karl brings a glorious personality into the character of the Grinch. He walks a fine line between the animalistic and human, once even descending down the proscenium of the stage, with the mannerisms of a spider.
The sets figure in strongly with Karl’s performance as well. There are moments where Karl seems both a part and apart from the sets behind him as well. In his entrance scene, his cave belches green smoke out onto the stage before him, setting out a mystical carpet for him to sulk and ooze down as he first introduces his comedic quirks and Anti-Christmas sentiments to the audience.
The light design, organized by Pat Collins, is key in the Grinch’s scenes. Each time he appears in front of the audience, the stage is instantly bathed in overwhelming green light. Fog chases the Grinch almost wherever he goes, while discreet shoe level lights seem to illuminate said fog at every opportunity. But rather than being outshone by such accessories, Karl retains his character’s human qualities. He is able to keep crowd members constantly engaged by his multilayered performance.
All and all, the fourth wall does not stand in this production. Time and time again, Karl in particular thrusts his craggy fingers at audience members, barking any variation of “I hate Christmas because of you!” His openness serves as perhaps the biggest reason this production is so palatable to such a wide range of audience members. This openness is never more appreciated than during the soaring tearjerker of a number that is “Santa for a Day.” While such a song might otherwise threaten to alienate the average grade school student, Karl, at one point, momentarily breaks from the heavy material and groans, “Oh no, a ballad!”
Karl’s scene partner in that scene, five-year-old Cindy-Lou Who (Aviva Winick), spends much of the play as the adorable antidote to the Grinch’s pessimism. She sets herself apart from the Who ensemble by turning a minor character in Dr. Seuss’ book into a classic wise-beyond-her-years individual. Winick sings about there being more to Christmas than the gifts she might get. She lectures the crotchety Grinch about love and his own lonely life with a sympathetic and objective tone that is certainly unique to a five year old. When The Grinch returns, she is the child who runs forward to sing about individuality with him.
Old Max (Bob Lauder), the story’s gray and wary narrator, is the antagonist to Cindy-Lou Who’s unburdened youth. He tells the story with sadness and embarrassment at what the Grinch did. He tells Seuss’ story like a war story and draws an at times bleak lens over the whimsy taking place behind him, particularly as he talks of the night where he and The Grinch actually stole the Whos’ presents.
Unfortunately, Lauder does often seem stranded on the stage. Though his voice is robust, this awkward blocking is never more glaring than when he sings “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch Reprise.” He finds himself darting in between Young Max (Matt Weinstein) and The Grinch, dodging presents the two are throwing to each other. He ends up crowding his scene partners, which seems to detract from the iconic song he sings. Lauder is able to make up for these issues nonetheless with his wonderfully gruff vocal style which he showcases regularly in his musical numbers.
Likewise, while the Who Ensemble does at times seem hollow, they are redeemed by the brilliant sets designed by John Lee Beatty, which are the most eye-catching when illuminated by the warm red light that follows the Whos. These sets bring Dr. Seuss’ original book of How the Grinch Stole Christmas to life. It is as if the brushstrokes on the towering wooden sets of the show are perfect echoes of the very brushstrokes that Seuss drew onto letter size paper when he penned his original book nearly 60 years ago.
Overall, this show resonates with even the most mature. It harkens back to times of childish innocence while concurrently speaking to themes of social struggle and loneliness. This show rounds itself out with ideas of magic and wonder. At the center of it all is one transformative man in green fur and a ruffled and stained red Santa coat.
While the Grinch may not steal Christmas, he certainly does steal this show!