Geva Theatre — Attraction in City of Rochester

Geva please go back to the old version. Of “A Christmas Carol.” The new one is not good at all. So much of the story’s emotional resonance is lost in the new version.

There were so many problems.

1. For the story to work, Scrooge at the beginning has to be a horrible person. Meanwhile, the people around him have to come off well. In the Dickens original everyone is just trying to cope politely with Scrooge and keep their Christmas spirit as he rants and raves and displays no sympathy with human suffering.

In this version various people, including the nephew, Bob Crachit and even Tiny Tim behave like moralizing bullies to the extent that one actually ends up sympathizing with Scrooge. Not the artistic effect you want in “A Christmas Carol”!

2. Another very important element of “A Christmas Carol,” artistically, is the alignment between Scrooge’s moral and emotional degeneration. As you move through the plot, particularly during his encounter with the Ghost of Christmas Past, you are supposed to understand that Scrooge was once a person with a heart but that loneliness and loss and excessive ambition have destroyed him.

In this version they seem to be so concerned with shortening the run time of the play that they move very quickly through this all important section and we don’t get a good sense of a Scrooge’s own sadness and loneliness as a young person.

3. It’s also crucial that the Cratchits come off as a dignified and hardworking family who are suffering from poverty and that Scrooge’s low wages are a key element in their suffering. The Cratchits are actually tough to get right in any adaptation because the element of pathos has to be strong with them but not so strong as to be overwhelming. You have to show them holding up in their poverty with pride and determination but they can’t be too jaunty or rebellious or they start coming off not as victims of Scrooge but as equals opposing him.

In this version they badly mishandle the Cratchits, having them come off as rather annoying (at various junctures one of them will call out ‘Cratchit cuddle!’ and they all gather for a group hug). Again, we end up sympathizing with Scrooge’s meanness. Not a good effect!

4. Finally, the core of Scrooge’s redemption lies in his final vision of his own mortality with the Ghost of Christmas Future. This is the moment of horror for Scrooge, when he realizes that the poor dead sod whose possessions are being picked over by scrap merchants and about whom no one cares is the future Scrooge.

I could not believe that they skipped this part entirely in the new version. All they display is the death of Tiny Tim which, yes, is important but not the whole picture for Scrooge’s psychological transformation. In the Dickens original Scrooge is in ecstasy waking up Christmas morning because he realizes that the vision is over and that he is not yet dead. He still has time to change. In this version, without the vision of his own death, it’s not understandable why Scrooge is so over the moon when he wakes up.

5. The old production was higher budget with great sets, special effects and a large cast. This new version is like the inflation products in the grocery store wherein they reduce the size of the item while charging you the same price. The cast, sets and special effects are minimal in the new Geva Christmas Carol but the ticket prices are the same.

I hope they go back to the old version next year. I think the audience shared my dislike of the new production as the applause at the end was...

For 13 seasons, my son and I have cherished attending the Geva Theater's presentation of A Christmas Carol. When my two grandsons were old enough to appreciate this timeless classic, the tradition became even more special. Today, we attended the 2024 adaptation of the play, marking the 6th viewing for my oldest grandson and the 3rd for my youngest. Sadly, this year's production was a significant letdown. Gone were the elaborate sets, replaced by sparse, uninspired designs—at times consisting of just two bland chairs. The choreography lacked energy, the dialogue felt uncharacteristic of Dickens, and the characters fell flat. Tiny Tim, far from the frail and endearing figure, was neither tiny nor visibly ailing, save for a mild cough. Scrooge was depicted less as a miserly curmudgeon and more as a buffoon, prone to exaggerated tantrums and flailing about. Fred's character lacked depth, making him forgettable. The three ghosts, pivotal to the story's emotional arc, were equally disappointing. The Ghost of Christmas Past resembled Tinker Bell from Peter Pan, while the Ghost of Christmas Present felt more suited to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The traditionally silent and foreboding Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come was anything but—chattering away with little substance and occasionally blinding the audience with a bright light. As a long-time fan of A Christmas Carol, I found this adaptation to be a poorly executed, Disney-esque reimagining that stripped the story of its charm and depth. We all shared in my disappointment. It's unfortunate to see such a timeless classic diminished...

The 2024 Christmas Carol Production was disappointing and poorly executed.

As longtime patrons who have attended A Christmas Carol at Geva Theatre every year—sometimes twice per season—we were shocked and disappointed by this year's production.

Set Design: The set was lackluster and severely dialed back from previous years. It felt unfinished and uninspired, far from the magic we've come to expect. Sloppy Execution: The stage crew was visible far too often, and set doors left ajar revealed the inner workings, breaking the immersive experience. At times, cast members not in the scene were clearly visible, awkwardly hiding behind the sets. Over-the-Top Acting: The performances lacked subtlety, with actors resorting to screaming and abrupt, exaggerated mood swings. It felt more like melodrama than a thoughtful rendition of Dickens' classic. Unnecessary Story Changes: While I can appreciate creative interpretations, this production took significant liberties with a story that has stood the test of time since 1843. Rewriting a beloved masterpiece to incorporate modern social themes felt out of place and detracted from the timelessness of the story.

We were so disappointed that we left at intermission, something we have never done before. Unfortunately, this season's A Christmas Carol failed to capture the spirit of the classic and was a far cry from the polished, heartwarming productions...