Aurora Fox's A Christmas Story

So basically the whole of television is on repeat until the new year, so on this cold night I sat down and decided that there was nothing on. So, in my opinion, you should be out seeing live theatre. There isn’t anything better in life.

This of course reminds me that last week I had the chance to catch A Christmas Story at the Aurora Fox. I know, I know, what is with the Fox? I’ve just been doing a lot of behind the scenes work there, so I see the shows. I go where I can get comps, what can I say?

Well, I guess I have to say that watching The Christmas Story put me in a Christmas-y mood. The lobby of the Fox is fabulously decorated getting you in the holiday spirit from the moment you walk in the door. And to top it all off, they are selling hot chocolate (and some yummy adult versions as well…try butterscotch!!). You can’t help but get in the holiday spirit, added that to our winter wonderland outside and no scrooge can be found anywhere near that theatre.

Now, I have to state that I am not a fan of the movie. I’ve seen it, I enjoy it, but I’m not a watcher of the 24 hour Christmas Day marathon on TBS. That being said, I really did love the play. Something about it being performed live, with a fabulous stable of child actors really worked for me.

The kids were by far, the stars of the show. Notable mentions include Alexis Porter as Randy Parker, Chandler Reed as Scut Farkus, and Max Schwartz as poor, tongue stuck the lamppost Flick. David Quintana, who has the somewhat daunting task of being “official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time built right into the stock."

Adult actors, Rhonda Brown and Dutch Schindler do a great job playing Mom and The Old Man, and like all parents seem to have a world that involves the kids, and a world that does not. Rhonda brings such a great motherly air to the stage, that you almost expect her to jump off the stage and put a bar of soap in YOUR mouth!

The atmosphere of the show is great, and everyone involved gets a big thumbs up. No technical part of the show stood out to me, either in a bad way or a good way, they all worked together nicely and added to the show without distracting.

The only think I wasn’t a big fan of was the narration. Now I have to admit that the narration is my least favorite part of the movie as well. It irks me! I just want to hear the kids! I know it’s adult Ralph’s memory, and that storytelling is how the movie came about, but I just don’t like. I was particularly confused during this show because I thought that the story was from the narrator’s memory, yet the narrator spends the entire show appearing to read from a book. There were also several points when I felt like there was too much narration and too little action.

In truth I think that is due to the script, you can tell that it was converted straight from the movie, and sometimes movies just aren’t meant to go straight to the stage without a little adjustment. For fans of the movie, I am sure this is a delightful effect, but for those of us that aren’t fans, I think the script falls short.

In the end, all of that was forgotten, and I just got into the spirit of Christmas and enjoyed the show. That’s just the thing about the show, it’s well produced and so full of Christmas cheer, that you will forgive it’s small problems.

Sadly, this is the show’s final weekend, and they are selling out fast, so if you want to get tickets, you better call now! But do get tickets! It is a great show!!

Call the Aurora Fox at 303-739-1970 or visit www.aurorafox.org.