by Holly Smith
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

As the lights dimmed and the curtain lifted, the murmuring audience was silenced by the opening scene.

Alley Theatre's opening night of A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas, an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, was a success.

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Conoco, R.W. Goldman gave a touching introduction to the audience as presenting sponsor for the Alley Theatre.

The familiar characters were brought to life under the direction of Stephen Rayne.

Each scene went smoothly into the next, disguised by masterful smoke, lights and video enhancements.

The play, which lasts approximately two hours, hardly needed the 15-minute intermission because the constant scene changes and lively script kept most of the audience's attention.

James Belcher, who played Ebenezer Scrooge, gave a standout performance. Belcher portrayed an, at times, humorous version of Scrooge and was rewarded for his performance by a lengthy standing ovation.

The costumes, with the guidance of Costume Designer Esther Marquis, were beautiful and creative; the way each was designed seemed to be functional in terms of highlighting the characters' personalities.

The costumes of the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future definitely caught the audience's attention, as they were the most intricately done.

One downside of this production was the amount of smoke used for effect; those with sensitivities to smoke should be forewarned.

This latest adaptation of the Dickens' classic appeared to have no visible errors and fortunately no signs of broken legs.

At the end of the play, most of the cast danced around a large Christmas tree. Their eagerness and love of work soon had the audience clapping along with them and the music.

For more information about show times or other productions visit the Alley Theaters Web site at Alley Theatre

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