Stage Review: This Christmas, Madame Scrooge is bigger and better!

More Singing! More Dancing! More fun! Madame Scrooge earns a place in the canon of great Christmas Carol adaptations.

When Madame Scrooge made its debut at the Nocturne Theatre last Christmas, it struck us as an interesting variation on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol but not an outstanding one. Good rather than great, it was worth seeing but not necessarily worth revisiting – but we’re so glad we did, because the 2024 production of Madame Scrooge is everything we could have hoped for the first time around.

There are some additions (three new songs and two new scenes), but they do not feel like patches covering up plot holes; in fact, we had trouble spotting specific changes (which also include upgrades to the set design and lighting). Instead, elements old and new blend into a perfectly balanced Christmas cocktail, suitable for all ages. This version of Madame Scrooge deserves to join A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within in Pasadena as an annual tradition.

For the record, the new songs are “Much Good May It Do You” (sung by Fred to his Aunt Scrooge), “You Found Your Family” (sung by the ensemble), and “You Never Know” (sung by Eleanor Scrooge and her fiancé Bill). There is also a new scene of Scrooge reconnecting with her nephew and a more ambiguous ending regarding Bill and Scrooge’s future together if any.

The latter is the one shift that was fairly apparent to us, since it addressed an issue we had with last year’s version, which concluded with a pat reconciliation between Bill and Scrooge. Not that we’re against happy endings, but this one shifted the emphasis of the story, suggesting that, even after rekindling her love of Christmas, Scrooge was not fully redeemed until she was headed to the altar with her old boyfriend. It was barely half a step away from the cliche about successful businesswomen being secretly plagued by an unquenched need for domestic bliss.

The new ending provides a wistful touch of hope; the former couple are on good terms again, but where that will lead is up to the audience to imagine. We like to think they will eventually, but the process would be a whole story in itself, not something that could be comfortably squeezed into the end of this tale.*

Along with the other revisions, this change really makes Madame Scrooge‘s central conceit (changing the characters gender) work in a completely satisfying way. Yes, at first glance, turning Ebenezer into Eleanor seems like a gimmick, but the hardships that poverty and society placed on Victorian women really shine a different light on this version of Scrooge, who has fought all her life not just to accumulate wealth but also to maintain her independence and avoid accepting marriage as the only way for a woman without a title and/or good family connections to avoid life in the gutter. This gives the audience a vested interest in seeing her redemption, making her a relatable character, not just a caricature of avarice.

But forget about critical analysis and nitpicking. Madame Scrooge is a joyous celebration of the season, dressed up in all the accoutrements one expects from productions at the Nocturne Theatre. The costumes and character design lean into the fantasy and supernatural elements with ghastly depictions of Marley and the throng of ghosts who accompany him when he bedevils Scrooge. The Spirit of Christmas Future is a legit monster, representing the horror of what the future will be if Scrooge does not change. Also, the songs are great, as are the voices singing them, especially Stephanie Hodgdon in the title role. The standout remains Scrooge’s song of self-justification, “Life Isn’t Fair,” which we could easily put on perpetual repeat to enjoy over and over. Add it all up, and you too will find yourself proclaiming, “God bless us, everyone!”

Footnote:

• This approach goes a step further than Jack Thorn’s stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which had Scrooge and his fiancé reconcile their differences, even though there was no chance they would ever get back together.

The stage for Madame Scrooge

Madame Scrooge

Madame Scrooge

Lobby of Nocturne Theatre, decorated for the holidays

Lobby of Nocturne Theatre, decorated for the holidays

Seasonal treats for sale