The Rep's Modern Twist on Scrooge is Funny, Inventive and Perfect for Kids

Since Charles Dickens first introduced Ebenezer Scrooge to the world in 1843, one of literature’s most notorious characters has been reincarnated through endless movies and TV shows, from Bill Murray’s TV exec to Scrooge McDuck.

It’s no surprise. The timeless, uplifting tale of empathy and redemption is synonymous with the season, making it as part of the holiday pop culture lexicon as leg lamps, stop-motion reindeer, and Clark Griswold.

This December, the Imaginary Theatre Company – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ young audience troupe – is staging a modern version of A Christmas Carol that connects the classic story to today’s way of life. Bah! Humbug!, written by Jack Herrick, take Scrooge out of Victorian England and drops him in the digital age, spicing up the tale with humor, music and adventure to resonate with the littlest of theater-goers and inspire them to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Remarked Alan Knoll, who stars as Scrooge and also directs the production, “I just can’t say enough how original this show is. You often have to coerce people to see another version of A Christmas Carol, but everybody agrees it’s really different, and funny and surprising – and even packs a little bit of emotional punch at end. Anyone who sees it will really appreciate it and have a good time.”

Bah! Humbug! has already been playing at schools around the region, and the reaction to Herrick’s modern book and lyrics has been a positive one. With references to skater dudes and fast food intertwined with Victorian era dialogue, kids are able to better identify with the classic characters. In Herrick’s version, Bob Cratchit sits inside an ATM to replace its expensive computer, Scrooge is a Simpsons fan, and the Ghost of Christmas Future directs Scrooge to a psychic hotline. Yet, the message of the Dickens’ story is never lost.

“This version of A Christmas Carol is really inventive,” said Knoll. “It operates on so many levels. The humor and satire is reminiscent of Fractured Fairy Tales we used to watch as kids, and the other level is the story. Kids really get into the story, and parents and teachers really like the parody. We have puppets in it, we spotlight the slapstick, but at the end of it, the story is about Scrooge learning his lesson. I haven’t met an audience yet that didn’t really love it.”

Bah! Humbug! also brings an interactive element to the performance. Scrooge often breaks the fourth wall, speaking one-on-one with the kids and heading into the audience. After each performance, Knoll and the cast will stick around for a Q&A so that kids can learn more about the production and the characters, granting them a deeper insight into the world of theater.

Bah! Humbug! will run for seven public performances at the Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves. Shows will be at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on December 13 and 20, 3 p.m. on December 21, and 11 a.m. on December 22 and 23.  The musical runs for approximately 45 minutes. Tickets are $7 per person and can be ordered at www.repstl.org/season/show/bah_humbug1/.

Bah! Humbug! is the ideal performance for reminding kids what Christmas is really all about, while letting them have fun in the process and build an appreciation for the performing arts.

Said Knoll, “I hope that the audience gets the same lesson that you get from Dickens’ novel – this idea of redemption. I think even the littlest kid understands that. You see Scrooge, who is very bad and very mean, and that he needs to be repeatedly taught a lesson. At the end of it he has this emotional change and seems much happier. It’s never too late to change yourself for the better.”