Christmas can be one of the most polarizing seasons of the year. It’s almost like people expect you to be cheery from sunup to sundown starting from the day it’s socially acceptable to play Christmas carols — even on those stressful days. So yes, it isn’t hard to relate, in some way, to Ebenezer Scrooge. 

But somehow, the season does find a way of creeping up on you, coaxing some of those warm fuzzies out of you. Perhaps that is why A Christmas Carol, first written by Charles Dickens in 1843, is a beloved holiday classic. Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens breathe even more magic into the story by turning it into an enchanting musical. Manila audiences get to see it all come to life in 9Works Theatrical’s staging, which is currently running at the Proscenium Theater until 21 December.

To be honest, I’ve seen quite a few iterations of this musical — on both film and stage — over the years. Fortunately, it never really gets old, so I was excited to see this year’s staging. And it does not disappoint, as you leave the theater a little lighter in your step, feeling a little bit of that Christmas spirit in you. The staging was magical and fantastical, with a lot to watch, fueled by a cast who steps out on stage with a fair amount of joy in being part of the show. 

You get swept up in this journey of how cranky Ebenezer Scrooge, ably played by veteran actor Arnel Carreon, transforms into a “jolly good fellow” after a visit from four very opinionated ghosts. A spectral “reality check,” so to speak, on top of the cajoling of the townsfolk, led by his kindhearted nephew Fred (Neo Rivera) and his wife Sally (Molly Langley).

Speaking of the four ghosts, it was interesting to see that each one was built on a distinct character and added interesting layers to a story that has been told many times over. Boo Gabunada plays Jacob Marley as a glowing (literally) omen, weighed down by chains of his greed, warning Scrooge of the dreary fate that awaits him lest he change. 

But it is with the three Christmas ghosts where things get interesting. Franco Laurel, as the Ghost of Christmas Past, was giving Jack Frost — with the frosted silver hair — meets ’80s fitness icon Richard Simmons (for those who remember him), but with a hefty dose of charm and chutzpah. Then the pendulum swings in the opposite direction with Lorenz Martinez’s take on the Ghost of Christmas Present, who seemed to have pulled a page out of Sandman, playing it quiet and subdued. But it would be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be who cuts the most striking image, with nary a word. Dancer Carmel Ros shows Scrooge where his path leads through the most graceful movement and dance. I think the simplicity of it hits home the most.

During the press conference in early November, director Robbie Guevara had touted that the musical would make full use of the Proscenium Theater’s capabilities, which I would say they succeeded in doing — in parts, that is. Particularly in making full use of that massive stage. 

While scenographer Mio Infante designed an interesting set — a creative take on Victorian London — it felt rather sparse, missing the mark in evoking that sense of being in a snowy city during Christmas, or even a bustling holiday fair, where the handful of carts, merchants and townsfolk failed to fill up the space. This same sense carried over in some ensemble numbers, where the choreography kept most of the cast gathered all in the center or all the way in the back. That said, the parts that worked delivered on the fantasy, especially in the ghostly visits and other things that go bump in the night. 

An eerie favorite was Jacob Marley’s reveal (spoilers) as he emerges through a trap door, and the neon chains floating above the stage. The various tableaux spread throughout these encounters, amplified by projections such as a giant clock, added equal parts levity and gravitas as Scrooge’s story unfolds. As the cast gathers downstage to sing carols and distribute gifts to a lucky few, it is best to just give in to the joyous holiday spirit in the room.

No matter how you spin it, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and A Christmas Carol is one that sticks to your bones — life lessons and all — where celebrating Christmas is more about kindness, love and compassion than it is about the gifts and the twinkling lights. 

As Carreon says, “We all have our pasts, or bad things that have happened to us, but we can’t let that ruin the kindness and love that we have to give to others.” 

To that point, 9Works Theatrical’s take on the musical is a special one, one that is not dimmed by its imperfections. It delivers on the moving message at its core — one that is so badly needed during such a fragmented time — with all the heart its cast can possibly muster. That, in and of itself, is a gift worth going to the theater for. And to hear the adorable Tiny Tim wish us all, “God bless us, everyone!” Do go out and see it!

Experience the magic of A Christmas Carol, a production of 9Works Theatrical and presented by Rockwell, at the Proscenium Theater on all weekends until 21 December. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with 3 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available at TicketWorld or at the Power Plant Cinema ticket counter.