I grew up with the most famous Scrooge, Alistair Sim in the 1951 British version. It was so "gloomy," and "depressing," Radio City Music Hall refused to host its premiere in America. VARIETY magazine said it was a "grim thing to give kiddies the screaming-meemies." In this production, Jed Diamond, the head of U.T. Acting Department is the most personable, funny, and sympathetic Scrooge ever. There's never a dull moment and Diamond keeps you alternately laughing and crying throughout.

This show is amazing and so much fun! The actors and the whole performance was amazing. The play has so much going on and the depth has been captured in the chemistry between Scrooge and Bell. I especially liked Sarah Hunt as Belle. She made me cry and laugh. The depth of her acting is something I haven’t seen in a very long time. Scrooge Was great. Loved Tiny Tim. Basically it’s a show for all the family and it’s just a fun heartwarming show I highly recommend it. Just what we need in these uncertain chaotic times. This is a perfect Christmas classic with audience participation, and just so much fun!

I am just in awe. As a theater junkie I jumped at the opportunity to go to a play and when this opened I thought , oh well, have seen it a dozen times, but it’s a play. BUT wait. A whole new interpretation. With more character development. And oh my. Timmy. A surprise you won’t want to miss. This is a MUST. No old white man in a kerchief in bed visited by ghosts. It was. Amazing!!! I want to go again!!!

Overall, I felt that the performance was entertaining. It had a clear "woke" atmosphere with a highly diverse cast and somewhat over the top bashing of poor Ebenezer. I was impressed with the creativity of the story line as it diverged from the traditional performances on screen. the cast was talented and gave a heartfelt tenor to the whole thing. I did, however, feel that certain [performers needed to modulate their voices and not shout so much.

Charles Dickens wrote his moralistic ghost story because of the appalling conditions of underprivileged children in 19th century London. The original novella's success is because the main character Ebenezer Scrooge, an amoral miser, and the audience/reader learn why we must take better care of those around us. Scrooge’s “lessons” succeed mainly through the visits of three ghosts who take him on fantasy journeys, but admonish him only infrequently. But this production changes much of the dialogue and scenes to apply the moralistic message with multiple sledge hammers. While the staging and music were none-better, characters scold Scrooge, diminishing the entire message. For example Scrooge's casket is brought forth during the Ghost of Christmas Future (who becomes his dead sister Fran), and important characters shame him about his faults. By the ghosts and other characters frequently criticizing Scrooge, the message became too maudlin and overlong. It's too much; I get it.

Apparently, someone thought they could write a better Christmas Carol than Dickens. I’m all for a great re-invention, but not one that ditches Dickens’ amazing language as well as much of the timeless and incredibly relevant message of this story. What I saw looked like a - albeit beautifully lit - skit by a bunch of people trying to remember the story from when they saw it years ago. The changes didn’t illuminate. Making Fezziwig an undertaker didn’t reveal the story in a deeper more modern way. It was just different. I was not alone in my feelings as I left the theatre. Many around me echoed them. Too bad to have that platform to share a timeless story with so much to say about our current climate and then not do it.