REVIEW: A Christmas Story feels fresh at Theatre Aquarius
iPhoto caption: A Christmas Story production still by Dahlia Katz.
A Christmas Story is one of the more divisive holiday movies. The 1983 film has a small cult following who can quote every line, and for whom the movie gets funnier with each year’s re-watch. (I may or may not have a ceramic Christmas ornament of Ralphie in his bunny suit sitting in my parents’ basement.)
But within the crowded genre of holiday movies, I’ve seldom found that A Christmas Story is anyone’s favourite. The film, which follows a young boy named Ralphie on his quest for a Red Ryder BB gun, hasn’t aged particularly gracefully — jokes about plying children with firearms are decidedly unfunny in a time of frequent school shootings — and each year it seems 40 or so yuletide flicks enter the arena with a new flavour of holiday cheer, making classics like A Christmas Story feel even more passé.
All this to say: I remember being surprised when A Christmas Story opened on Broadway in 2012, with music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who have since gone on to write music for Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman, and La La Land). And I recall being even more surprised when Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius programmed the show in its holiday slot this year — the musical adaptation of A Christmas Story maintains the film’s episodic format and features fairly forgettable songs (it’s hard to believe Pasek and Paul were polishing the musically superior Dogfight at the same time as this one).
No, Joseph Robinette’s theatrical adaptation of A Christmas Story isn’t particularly strong. (And some of that falls on the source material — the 1983 film was itself a loose adaptation of Jean Shepherd’s 1966 book of short stories In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.)
But under Mary Francis Moore’s smart direction at Theatre Aquarius, A Christmas Story almost works. Moore has assembled a terrific cast of kids and adult crooners: Mark Crawford stars as a fictionalized version of Shepherd, who narrates the events of A Christmas Story as if recalling his own childhood (fans of the original film will easily spot monologues lifted from the film’s memorable voice-over). Crawford is a perfect casting choice, warm and affable, and as he wanders through the nostalgic haze of a childhood long gone, it’s easy to fall for his easy manner and kind smile.
Fourteen-year-old Finn Kirk wows as Ralphie, with a beautiful voice that vaults into the rafters of the spacious auditorium. Ralphie’s a big role, comparable to Annie or Matilda with lots of solo songs and complicated scene work, and alongside Crawford, he’s a pleasure to watch. Addison Wagman, too, is cute as a button as Ralph’s little brother Randy.
Moore has encouraged equally excellent performances on the adult side of the kid-parent divide. Jamie McRoberts is great as Mother (who’s thankfully afforded the show’s best music, in the form of two earnest ballads about parenting), and Adam Brazier’s Old Man gets one hell of a tap solo during “A Major Award.” Dharma Bizier also tip-taps her way to stardom as Ralphie’s teacher, Miss Shields — it’s nice to see her back onstage following her memorable performance in Maggie last year. (This production’s excellent choreography is by Robin Calvert.)
Tech-wise, A Christmas Story is as impressive as I’ve come to expect from Theatre Aquarius, though Brandon Kleiman’s beautiful, dollhouse-esque set is at times just a hair too far back on the stage to appreciate its detail. (Every room of the Parker home, from the boys’ shared bedroom to that darned furnace in the basement, is represented here with evident care and love for the source material.)
If you want to catch A Christmas Story before it closes, good luck — the show is close to sold out, and with the talent on that stage, it’s not hard to see why. Do I think Pasek and Paul have gone on to write far better scores than this one? Yes, clearly. But under Moore’s supervision, A Christmas Story feels less like a cheap adaptation and more like a celebration of family and fun — even the most persnickety of Pasek and Paul enthusiasts will be able to leave their reservations about the writing at the door.
A Christmas Story runs at Theatre Aquarius until December 22. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's senior editor and an award-winning arts journalist with bylines including the New York Times, Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CBC Arts, and Maclean's. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
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