One Thirty Productions opened A Christmas Carol: The Radio Show by David Alberts on December 3, 2014 at the Bath House Cultural Center. The premise of the show is that a small-town radio station is set to present a production of Charles Dickens's iconic A Christmas Carol.It is December 24, 1947, and station manager Bob Bennett (B.J. Cleveland) is about to announce the show when he receives a phone call telling him that all 24 cast members are snowed in by a blizzard. Undaunted, Bennett goes on the air playing all two dozen characters himself, including but not limited to: the announcer, Bob Cratchitt, Marley's ghost -- complete with chains -- a barking dog, a screeching cat, the ghost of Christmas past, a spirit, two young boys, Old Fezziwig, Mrs. Fezziwig, Scrooge and his ex-fiancée Belle, and Belle's husband.
Cleveland essays a veritable tour de force of hilarious facial expressions and voices and is indefatigable, as he manipulates all the sound effects of doors opening and closing, whistling wind, footsteps, a crackling fire, and the clip-clopping of horses to name but a few.
At two hours, including intermission, the script is about 15 minutes too long, but B. J. Cleveland's performance cannot be improved upon. Just watching his frenetic and humorous antics is two hours well spent.
