Photos: Bruce Monk
This show is fantastically, thoroughly and irresistibly boring. Not bad, which could be entertaining, but boring. Boring as a melting snowdrift. Incidents happen without apparent point or momentum; scenes are recreated from the 1983 film without flair, and with no engaging visual or linguistic close-ups to invite the audience into a “boy against world” dynamic, there’s no conflict. So there’s no point.
I couldn’t stop yawning. Neither, apparently, could the kid I passed during intermission.
One genuine moment made everyone laugh: part way through the second act, the poor guy who has to narrate the whole tepid thing forgot the full name of the “official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass and thing that tells the time built into the stock” despite repeating it 30 plus times over the show.
He broke character. The audience loved him for it. Then right back to snoozefest.
–
A Christmas Story
By Philip Grecian, based on the film by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark
RMTC, John Hirsch Mainstage
Through December 14
Directed by Robb Paterson; with Sharon Bajer, Omar Benson, William Krovats, Montana Lehmann, Tyler Leighton, Jennifer Lyon, Tristan Mackid, Ben McIntyre-Ridd, Daniel McIntyre-Ridd, Rob McLaughlin, Meguire McRae-King, Gordon Tanner, Natalie Viebrock and Mackenzie Wojcik; set and costume design by Brian Perchaluk; lighting design by Scott Henderson; sound design by John Bent Jr.; fight direction by Jacqueline Loewen; child supervision by Kelly Wilson; assistant direction by Benjamin Wiebe; stage managed by Karyn Kumhyr; assistant stage managed by Candace Maxwell; apprentice stage managed by Linsey Callaghan.
–
Matthew TenBruggencate is a Winnipeg-based writer. He is owned by two cats. Follow him @tenbruggencate, where is he spreading nasty rumours about you.