"Am I the Grinch for stealing Christmastown?"

The world premiere of Briana Brown’s ‘Christmastown’ (billed as a farce about making magic all year long) has script challenges. It needs another solid revision. Some of the implausible and unsettling plot unravelling has gaping holes.

Am I the Grinch for stealing Christmastown because I’m not charmed by the story?

I'll talk more about this shortly.

‘Christmastown’ takes place in fictional Kringle, Ontario, in a gas bar/convenience store, the centre of cultural activity. It’s run by widow Nora (Alison Deon). Her sassy daughter Adeline (Mirabella Sundar Singh) also assists in the daily running of the store. Nora is desperate for a much-needed vacation and wants to take her daughter away on holiday. Where she would like to go becomes part of the bits of humour throughout the show.

According to the show description, Kringle, Ontario, is in a rut.

Well-meaning town reeve, Mary (Deborah Drakeford), devises a tourism development plan to celebrate Christmas all year round, and the town thinks it’s a great idea. Several locals have second thoughts about this decision two weeks and a heat wave later. Jeff (Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski) and his partner are in the midst of adopting a child. Sam (Darrel Gamotin) is the local handyperson who is sometimes a bit slow in picking up on things but has a heart of gold and possibly an eye for Nora. Christy Bruce plays several people entering and exiting.

There are some admirable dramatic elements of the show.

Visually, Anna Treusch’s gorgeous set design amply fills the Capitol Theatre stage with many grocery items and holiday/Christmasy tchotchkes one might find in a convenience store. One can purchase lottery tickets and drop off dry cleaning in the store. There is an office on a raised floor with a see-through window where the audience can watch action play out silently.

Treusch’s costume selections are colourful re-creations from the Christmas and holiday season. For example, Drakeford adorably resembles an elf in her ruby red costume. Shepherd-Gawinski’s gingerbread costume made me smile when I finally recognized how he was dressed. I laughed aloud at Alison Deon’s first costume where she wears socks and sandals. There’s always that proverbial question of whether to do that or not. Jareth Li’s lighting nicely envelops the mood in each scene.

Jeff Newberry’s sound design is sharply executed for the odd-timed joke.

I quietly laughed a couple of times at innuendo most evidently related to the season's commercialism. There were also amusing moments in the office when we could watch what was happening behind the window but not hear the dialogue.

But that is just the bare bones of my enjoyment with the play.

Mostly, I do not find the script of ‘Christmastown’ charming and making magic all year long as billed. That is unfortunate because I should. The opening night performances do not sound natural on stage. The actors appear to shout at each other periodically, occasionally making me lose interest in the plot. There are moments where actors crawl around on all fours, and I could not connect to why they were scripted? directed? to do that.

It's frustrating and confusing, especially since I’ve seen some of these artists do solid work on other stages in Toronto and outside the GTA.

Growing up a baby boomer, I remember with fond admiration how hokey Christmas films and stories were, and that hooked me. That occurs in ‘Christmastown.’ Kringle, Ontario, is an adorable name. Seeing all the holiday stuff on stage in August makes me smile. Watching Deborah Drakeford’s initial fastidiousness as Mary who ensures everyone complies with the town edict is initially amusing.

Good theatre helps an audience to grow in understanding just like a young child grows to adulthood from strong, positive influences. Hopefully, as adults, we recognize in our hearts when it’s time to see things from a child’s perspective and when it’s time to see things as an adult. Even the heart of the Dr. Seuss Grinch grew three times larger from its normal size when he finally understood the true meaning of Christmas.

My heart did not grow at the end of ‘Christmastown.’

Brianna Brown’s current text focuses solely on the superficial and, dare I say, even a woke ideological understanding of what Christmas means.

The play’s current ending subtly mocks those who practice and believe in what Christmas truly means to the faithful. The implication arises in the dialogue that Christians are to be scolded and reminded not to forget there are other faith holidays besides Christmas. That becomes unsettling as someone who practices Catholicism because I haven’t forgotten about the other faith holidays.

I don’t believe (at least I hope and pray) that playwright Brianna Brown intentionally sets out to be hurtful in the script.

But we live in a world where implied concerns are addressed all the time by everyone for any given reason.

I feel strongly about calling out the subtle and implied mocking of Christianity and why the script requires another revision.

To return to the question asked earlier:

Am I the Grinch for stealing ‘Christmastown’ because I’m not taken with the story?

Absolutely not.

As an educated Catholic and Christian in the faith, I’m going to stand up and call out something that needs to be addressed, if need be, for clarification.

The need is there.

One doesn’t have to remind educated Catholics and Christians of other faith holidays during December and January.

We know.

Canada was founded on Judeo-Christian principles.

Educated Catholics and Christians should call it out if the theatre mocks those who celebrate Hannukkah. The same goes for those mock celebrations of Ramadan or Diwali.

Why is there a need to focus on the subtle (or intentional) mocking of Christianity through the theatre as ‘Christmastown’ implies? We don’t see many produced plays that mock celebrations like Ramadan or Diwali.

Or, if there are, should the theatre also behoove to give equal time to subtle mocking of other religious faiths?

Let’s be careful of this slippery slope.

Running time: approximately two hours with one interval/intermission.

“Christmastown” runs until September 1 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street. For tickets, call the Box Office at (905) 885-1071 or visit capitoltheatre.com.

THE CAPITOL THEATRE presents the World Premiere of
‘Christmastown’ by Briana Brown

Directed by Rob Kempson
Composer and Sound Designer: Jeff Newberry
Set and Costume Designer: Anna Treusch
Lighting Designer: Jareth Li
Stage Manager: Kat Chin
Assistant Stage Manager: Jeff Soucy

Performers: Christy Bruce, Alison Deon, Deborah Drakeford, Darrel Gamotin, Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski, Mirabella Sundar Singh

(Photo Credit: Sam Moffatt. L-R: Mirabella Sundar Singh, Deborah Drakeford, Alison Deon, Darrel Gamotin, Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski)