I had no idea what I was in for when I set out to review The Belfry’s newest show. I knew that Little Dickens—which runs until December 21—was a loose adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved classic A Christmas Carol; however, I had no idea what was meant by adaptation, or loose, for that matter. After reading a bit harder between the lines, I realized that the star of Little Dickens, Ronnie Burkett, is not just the performer, but the creator of the whole operation, the Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes. Okay. So, I was seeing a puppet show. This was unexpected.
There’s always a particular kind of magic that happens whenever I walk into The Belfry. It’s in my favourite neighbourhood, to start with, and the building itself is a converted 19th-century church, the same era as when A Christmas Carol was written. The building was constructed between 1887 and 1892, and was used as the Emmanuel Baptist Church until 1974, when it began to be used as a theatre. Just like the play, it has been adapted and given new life many a time over.
Burkett is no stranger to magic. When he walks onstage—or, rather, above it—he is crouched behind a dizzying constellation of strings, voices, characters, transforming the beloved holiday tale into something that is bawdy, unhinged, R-rated, and totally unpredictable. At the same time, there are equal bits during the performance that are unexpectedly heartfelt, and this is all part of Burkett’s genius, this chaotic puppet theology. Somehow through all this theatrical mayhem, the show still remains undeniably funny and charming.
The plot revolves around Esmé Massengill, Burkett’s version of Ebenezer Scrooge, a jaded and faded woe-is-me diva who spends her time crying into her martini rather then knowing the true meaning of Christmas, or how her selfish actions might affect the world around her. Esmé is visited by the three spirits of Christmas, and the audience is taken on the wild journey of Esmé’s past, and present, and the dark realities of the future, if she doesn’t change her ways. This is all brilliantly woven into Burkett’s puppeteering prowess, and watching him work through the puppets, it’s nothing short of improvisational genius. Audience participation (which is, apparently, an unavoidable feature of any Burkett performance) sparked some of the funniest moments of the evening. Burkett’s ability to tailor jokes to the crowd in real time is astonishing. He pivots around from wicked to sweet, from political jab to heartfelt anecdote, with the agility of someone who seems to be as much of an acrobat as he is a playwright.
In the end, Little Dickens is a holiday show for anyone who can appreciate finding comfort in the glitter-smudged, messy edges of the season. It’s for those who appreciate a good joke, a well- timed gasp, and that rare theatre experience where the performer puts everything—voice, body, and, of course, heart—into their characters. Charming, chaotic, and unapologetically joyful, Burkett’s Little Dickens is a seasonal indulgence worth savouring.
Little Dickens
Various times and days, until Sunday, December 21
Pay what you can, The Belfry Theatre
belfry.bc.ca