To the aid of getting in the spirit of Christmas, we went to see Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Shakespeare Tavern last night. We saw it last year as well, but had seats in the balcony (and weren't there early enough to get good ones either)--this time we were on the main floor. It's a tiny theater, so it's not the distance to the stage so much as the dining experience. The Shakespeare Tavern is a tavern, you see, with a pub menu and beverages. Food is available for 75 minutes before the show, and dessert is available in the intermission. Those balcony seats require balancing a tray in your lap if you're lucky enough to have the space, otherwise you use your lap. We had only lap-space last year. The main floor has tables (you still fetch your own food from the kitchen area), which is much nicer.

The production was just as wonderful as last year. It's a near-complete reading of the story, as best I can tell, with various actors doing the narration parts and then switching into playing roles as needed. Several sets of Christmas carols are worked in and nicely done, too. I could quibble about some actors' lack of careful enunciation at times, but you know, the story is familiar and can be followed. You miss some of the enjoyment of Dickens' words when that happens, but then the narration will switch off (or the actor will slow down and improve) and you're right back in the story.

I'm making a note to get tickets again next year--this production is one I can see again and again.