A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite holiday stories, and I often seek out different adaptations of it just to see some new flavor in this classic story. While I mixed out on their 2014 live-action production and their 2020 virtual one, I was incredibly happy to see The Speakeasy Society announce that they were bringing back EBENEZER, their immersive virtual adaptation of the show, again for 2021. I seriously had zero expectations going into this “adaptation of an adaption” (except for the usual Speakeasy level of quality), and I am delighted to say that this is by far the best virtual production I’ve seen to date, let alone one of my new favorite versions of the story.
We all know the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, and how he reforms his life after being visited by three ghosts, so there is no point in re-hashing the story itself. However, it is worth mentioning that EBENEZER does a fantastic job of turning the basic story we know on its head, allowing for creativity, freedom, and all around madness.
Though hard to “immerse” in a world from the comfort of your computer screen, The Speakeasy Society use the pre-show to help acclimate you “in-world.” Topper and Dopper, two of the funniest characters I have ever met, are there to help acclimate you to the world AND help any technical problems to ensure everything runs smoothly during the show itself. Beyond that, character had their name clearly marked (along with an asterisk before it to identify them as being part of the story) so you were never lost in who you were speaking to.
From there, Speakeasy made good use of the Zoom format and broke the show down into sections: main parts and exploration. During the main parts of the show, everyone in attendance was in the same, main room, watching the events unfold and sometimes participating in it. The exploration sections allowed you to follow Scrooge along on his journey, if you so desired, OR give you the option to explore the breakout rooms. The breakout rooms showed what other characters were up to while Ebenezer was on his journey, and allowed you to explore more of the story. Want to check in on the Fezziwigs during their party? Do so! Want to see what Nephew Fred is up to? Visit the game room!
To me, the exploration sections were some of the most fun moments in the show. While the main story was playing out elsewhere, you were free to explore and interact with the characters as much as you wanted to. We especially had a blast tuning into tinEtim’s room as she streamed video games and listened to her be an angsty teen.
Don’t get me wrong, though, because the main story beats were fantastic as well. Following Ebenezer as he flitted through the different rooms, with different ghost guides, was fun, especially with all the new twists. The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future were all along for the ride, though in new virtual format, and each one brought something new and unique to the story.
And though you were able to move around during the exploration phases, I never felt like I was missing part of the story or not seeing something important. Every option you choose, every path you go on, there are a multitude of things to see and do. And everyone was SO GOOD that you’d be hard pressed to find any dull moment. Even when it may just be you and another character in a breakout room, it was still incredibly entertaining.
And I have to say, this is one of the funniest shows I’ve seen, as well. I laughed, a LOT, over the course of the show itself. From scripted moments to unplanned things, there are a LOT of jokes here, each one making my stomach ache from laughing.
Of course, a lot of that is to the credit of the cast, as Speakeasy rounds up their usual cast of folks to make this story come to life. Everyone was absolutely wonderful, but special mentions to Matthew Bamberg-Johnson for his incredible portrayal of Ebenezer, Claire Chapelli and Alex Demers as Topper & Dopper, Christie Harms for tinEtim, and Jenny Curtis as Martha Cratchit.
Of course, telling this story on stage or immersive format is pretty common, but the limits of Zoom can sometimes make a virtual show of this kind challenging. That wasn’t the case here. Even though this was technically their first performance of the run, the entire production ran incredibly smoothly. No technical glitches, no problems at all, and everything seemed to be in working order. Which, honestly, with so many moving parts in this show, that was a feat all of itself! Very impressive! Special shout out to their crew for keeping this show running incredibly smoothly.
Seriously, this show is great and I highly recommend it if you want to do something a little different this holiday season. And in the spirit of A Christmas Carol, they are donating all profits from this event to Mutual Aid LA, mutualaidla.org, an organization providing grocery, supply deliveries, and community support services in Los Angeles. So not only is it a great show, but it’s also for a fantastic cause.
EBENEZER has only three performances left: December 9, 10, and 12. And since it’s virtual, I highly recommend you do it, no matter where in the world you are.
For tickets and more info, visit them online at www.speakeasysociety.com
