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Review
A Child's Christmas in Wales
Irish Repertory Theatre
December 31, 2008
Morgan Wycks
mwycks@nyconstage.org
The Irish Rep's production of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales should become an annual event or an every other annual event. Simply mounted on a cozy set surrounded by pine trees and exuding an anglophiliac's homespun Christmas, the show reminds one how and why this holiday at one time was so special (and I'm not forgetting the religious aspect of it).
Recalling his childhood of the 1920's, Thomas' account is blissfully free of the endless seasonal music, television reruns and maniacal shopping during the current 5 to 6 weeks that precede our day or two off. His was a time when anticipation didn't wear thin and the unavoidable anti-climax didn't arrive long before the winter equinox. On top of Thomas' quirky and singular story-telling, there is a selection of music which doesn't include any of your typical standards but instead songs with which you might be vaguely familiar but rarely hear.
The cast can't exactly avoid the traps of the presentational set-up, but they do do their best in summoning you to a place that's warm and inviting. The extra surprise of the evening is the presence of Victoria Mallory, the lovely ingénue from 70's Broadway musicals including Follies and A Little Night Music. Her singing is still glorious but even more apparent, in contrast to today's musical performers, is how she carries herself on stage - open, clear, present.
Though Christmas comes but once a year, and nowadays seems to stick around forever, stop by this little show (especially if the Irish Rep brings it back again) to be reminded why the yuletide isn't just another cold spell.
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