Merry Crisis! A Comedy in Carols

Dec 14 2024 | By More

★★★★☆     Memorable

St. Salvador’s Episcopal Church: Fri 13 – Sun 15 Dec 2024
Review by Rebecca Mahar

The Forth Act’s festive offering: Merry Crisis! A Comedy in Carols, is a heartfelt new one-act with music, good cheer, holiday family drama, and a thorough dusting of joy – all wrapped up in a neat bow.

Written, directed, and with musical direction by Cosette Bolt, supported by assistant director Michael Stephens, the staging of Merry Crisis takes full advantage of its venue of St. Salvador’s Episcopal Church. Performing here also gives the play the unique advantage of having an organ on site. The talents of organist Philip Sawyer provide musical underscoring and accompaniment to the show’s many carols.

Fionn Cameron. Pic Andrew Morris

The top of the show finds George (Fionn Cameron) returning home for Christmas after a semester away at uni, greeted enthusiastically by his mother Kirsty (Diane Waugh), while father Alister (Dave Blackie) is nowhere to be seen.

George immediately breaks the angel from the family nativity set, setting off a panic about how to fix it before anyone finds out. With less than a day before grandparents arrive, the house gets ever busier, and their overworked mum has even more to deal with, George’s sibling Bailey (Mitch Gardiner) agrees to help out.

troubled currents

When Alister’s parents Archie (Wag) and Peggy (Helen Schofield) arrive, it’s to a house with troubled currents running beneath its festive front. Not only is the angel broken, but Alister has become too absorbed in his work to pay attention to his family, pull his weight with the holiday preparations, or even remember to buy Kirsty a gift.

When things finally come to a head, will Alister manage to turn things around, or will this crisis mark his last Christmas with Kirsty?

A scene from Merry Crisis. Pic Andrew Morris

Merry Crisis manages to pack into less than an hour what could easily be developed into a full-length production, yet nevertheless manages to feel neither too big, nor too small, but just right.

In the same Goldilocks fashion, it weaves a generous selection of classic Christmas carols throughout the script, sung by both the principal cast and the group of supernumerary choristers: Alison Robson, Judith Neeson, Mireia Prats Llivina, Irena Komunjer, and Nathaniel Forsyth. Used both within scenes and as transition pieces, the carols are beautifully performed, including a bright descant sung by Komunjer during Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Waugh is perfectly cast as Kirsty, embodying the put-upon mum, rightfully tired of having to do everything herself when she’s got a perfectly capable partner – balanced with wanting to enjoy the holiday and having both her children home.

clueless

When Granny Peggy starts demanding great-grandchildren, Waugh puts her foot down magnificently, and her matter-of-fact strength in a climactic scene between Kirsty and Alister is wonderful to watch.

Meanwhile, Blackie sits well in the role of the husband and father who thinks he’s doing his best, but is clueless about the impact he’s really having on his family. Once Alister has been convinced of the need for change, Blackie really comes into his own, earnest and determined.

Helen Schofield and Wag. Pic Andrew Morris

Cameron and Gardiner are a delightful double-act as siblings, both teasing each other and teaming up, trying to escape interrogative grandparents, and considering the future. Cameron’s George works to make things easier for his mum, and one of his most powerful moments is a confrontation in which he takes Alister to task. Cameron’s lovely, clear voice is also a feature in several poignant moments of song.

Schofield and Wag make an amusing and oblivious couple, Wag full of gags and Schofield the perfect straight woman of the piece, loving but slightly interfering granny to the core.

sibling banter

It all wraps up happily, of course, because this is a Christmas comedy, but the drama in the script is genuine. A commendable effort by Bolt, Merry Crisis not only offers a satisfying story and festive music, but manages to work in empowerment, sibling banter, children standing up for their mother, and a contrite man making real gestures towards betterment, without any of it feeling forced. Feminism and equity are baked into the script, a Christmas wish for people in any kind of relationship —romantic, familial, platonic— to listen to, love, and be better for each other.

All proceeds from Merry Crisis go to support the St. Salvador’s Community Food Initiative, a non-referral food pantry for those in need. Learn more and make a donation here. St. Salvador’s can get chilly – cozy jumper recommended!

Running time: Fifty minutes with no interval
St. Salvador’s Episcopal Church, 61 Saughton Mains St. EH11 3QX
Fri 13 – Sun 15 December 2024
Fri/Sat: 7pm; Sat/Sun: 2pm.
Tickets and Details: Book here.

The cast of Merry Crisis. Pic Andrew Morris

The singers: Alison Robson, Judith Neeson, Mireia Prats Llivina, Irena Komunjer, and Nathaniel Forsyth. Pic Andrew Morris

ENDS

Merry Crisis! A Comedy in Carols, Review, Rebecca Mahar, The Forth Act, Merry Crisis!, Cosette Bolt, Michael Stephens, Philip Sawyer, Fionn Cameron, Diane Waugh, Dave Blackie, Mitch Gardiner, Wag, Helen Schofield, Alison Robson, Judith Neeson, Mireia Prats Llivina, Irena Komunjer, Nathaniel Forsyth,

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