Photos by Paul Buckley
By Michele Markarian
“A Scandinavian Story for Christmas”. Inspired by Gregory Maguire’s “Matchless”, Written by Debra Wise and Patrick Sawonson. Dramaturg, Nicole Galland. Directed by Debra Wise. Music Direction by Elijah Botkin. Choreography by Tom Roby. Presented by Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, through December 28.
I have to admit, I have not been fully committed to the holiday spirit this year. With so much turmoil in the world, it’s hard to focus on merriment, feasting, and gift-giving, but I was intrigued by the Swedish theme of this year’s Revels and decided to check it out. The rich hues of the theatre were warm and inviting, matching the warm and genial manner of the Master of Ceremonies, David Coffin. As the cast entered through the mezzanine, voices harmonizing over the traditional Nu Ar Det Jul Igen (“Now It Is Christmas Again”), I could feel my attitude begin to thaw.
Now in its 55th year, Revels has become a beloved Cambridge tradition. Programs with music and lyrics are handed to each attendee for the audience sing-alongs, which people need no coaxing to do. Intermission is led out of the hall in a dance (“Lord of the Dance”) that all can participate in. When Coffin asked the audience, “Who was here in ’77?” more than a few people raised their hands.
The story begins with a poor boy named Frederick (David Keohane) who lives with his mother, Dame Pederson (Kristian Espiritu), seamstress to the Queen. They don’t have enough matches to light their stove, so one of them has to sit up all night and make sure the flame doesn’t go out. Frederick is working on a secret project, a village made entirely from scraps he’s salvaged from the street. Concurrently, the Little Match Girl (Eliza Fichter) is having a fruitless day; she’s lost her shoes, the only keepsake she has from her dead mother, and not a single customer has bought a match. In a twist of fate, Frederick has also found one of the Little Match Girl’s lost shoes, which has a key and an address in it. While the Little Match Girl’s fate is tragic, Frederick’s and his mother’s are serendipitous, thanks to where the address leads them. The story is interspersed with scenes from the Queen’s court, celebrating Christmas Eve with a story told by none other than Hans Christian Andersen (Keohane) using colorful cardboard cutouts and a good-natured member of the audience to illustrate a pointed “Emperor’s New Clothes”. There’s also a Mummer’s Play, which features creatures from Norse mythology and Scandinavian tales.
The musical talent in this year’s production is tremendous. Espiritu does a beautiful job with Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker (“My Heart Always Wanders”) and the vocals of Karen Edwards, Athena-Genesis Baptiste and Julia Deininger astound with Kulning, a traditional Nordic herding call. The harmonies throughout are gorgeous, and the wide range of ages onstage makes for an honest and relatable village. The musicians are terrific, and my companion and I discovered a new instrument – the nyckelharpa, expertly played by Laura Hummel and lydia levins. Tom Roby’s choreography is both simple and sophisticated, and Heidi Herniller’s costumes, particularly in the Queen’s court, are breathtaking. Under Debra Wise’s direction, the production is cogent and compelling.
As the second act closes, snow falls onstage, and the spirit of the season grabs me by the throat, making me almost teary. Outside, snow was falling, too, as if the magic of the play had somehow worked its way into the streets of Harvard Square. It gave me a warm and cozy feeling that is the essence of the holiday spirit.
For more information and tickets, go to: https://revels.org/event/midwinter/
