Goodman's 'Christmas Carol' Transforms Darkness To Light

Because this show takes such an unflinching look at things we fear, and lets the power of love transcend them, it achieves heights that are all the more joyous.

Goodman's 'Christmas Carol' Transforms Darkness To Light

Because this show takes such an unflinching look at things we fear, and lets the power of love transcend them, it achieves heights that are all the more joyous.

The Goodman Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol" does not shy away from the dark, the frightening, and all those things we prefer not to think about. Indeed, this production uses stage wizardry to solidly confront us with many of the biggest fear factors in human life--poverty, sickness, loss, regrets and death.  Because of that, Ebenezer Scrooge's gradual emergence from the darkness into the light takes on a magnificent feeling of triumph. It's a fully cathartic experience.  This is the show's 35th year, and I've been seeing it, on a pretty regular basis, for about 13 years. Every time, it pulls me into its Dickensian world with the stellar quality of its acting, directing that brings out nuances of humor and grimness, and fine …

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