Theatre Review: A Very Jewish Christmas

The Performance: A Very Jewish Christmas Carol

The Company: Melbourne Theatre Company

The Theatre: Southbank Theatre

Stars: 3

Until 16 December.

I've subscribed to the Melbourne Theatre Company for years, and your subscription of ten plays will always look something like this. One play you will adore. There will be four or five you really like. There will be around three you will either fall asleep in or just not get, and one, in which you will want to walk out at the interval. 

A Very Jewish Christmas Carol sits in the bottom rung. It wasn't so bad that I wanted to walk out at the non-existent interval, but it felt as if it was lacking in a lot of ways. 

This is not to say it was awful. It was just lacking. 

On the positive side, this is light and mostly fun and being a retelling of Charles Dickins, A Christmas Carol, you know what you're going to get. 

This version throws in the Jewish element. Ely (Miriam Glaser) is a recently widowed, pregnant woman who is trying to keep her grandmother's bakery running. It's Christmas, or Christmukkah, as their family know it, she's at her due date, her family are being demanding, she's grieving, and yeah, then comes the Christmas Carol bit. You learn why she was never trusted with her grandmother's gingerbread recipe. You find out what happened to her husband. You find out what's going on with her sister and the rabbi. 

It's all stock standard stuff. 

There were some funny bits. I think I'll be using the term "oy humbug". I loved that. 

There were some very silly bits. The three Christmas ghosts had their uses. The Jewish reindeer and the Christmas Gingerbread golem were good fun. 

There were some great singing and dancing movements, as there is a bit of carolling and dancing in this - all Christmas/Hanukkah music, and all really well done. 

And there were some touching moments at the end.

But this also felt a bit laboured. The acting had the feel of a solid leaving certificate production, rather than a professional one. This may seem harsh, but bits of the play were overacted. Mitchell Butel's direction is a bit patchy in places. If you're not across a few of the rudiments of Jewish life and custom, you might be a bit lost, even though the incorporation of this is done well. Elise Esther Hearst's script had a bit of weight too it. It's just a pity the delivery wasn't up to where it could be. 

The set is also fun, as Ely's bakery plays host to the ghosts. 

This final play of the MTC's 2023 is not their strongest. It's fun but a bit predictable. It doesn't tax you. There is enough in it to keep you entertained, but that is about it. Like the movies they play at lunchtime during the week, you can watch them, but you know they aren't that great.

I didn't hate it. I just didn't love it. 

Today's song: