GEEK N OUT REVIEW
“A Klingon Christmas Carol”
Reviewer: Robert Southgate
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a holiday classic. There is no doubt whatever about that. As a result, there have been countless interpretations and variations on the theme. In fact, for many, seeing a stage production or at least watching one of the film versions of the story every year is a holiday tradition.
Tony Bunnel as Squja
For the past three years, E.D.G.E. of Orion has staged A Klingon Christmas Carol (written by Christopher Kidder-Mostrom & Sasha Warren, translated by Chris Lipscombe) here in Chicago. It is a wonderful interpretation of the story told entirely in Klingon (aside from the Vulcan narrator who speaks in English), which is incredibly geeky, touching, funny, and dramatic all at once. For those of us who don’t speak Klingon, English subtitles are projected above the stage. Thank goodness they do this, as Klingon is not in my mix of languages. In fact, I found the subtitles actually added to the experience, not just from an understanding standpoint, but it almost felt like another actor on stage. The subtitles got laughs after the actors had played the scene and gotten laughs of their own. Somehow the timing of the subtitles added to the show and made the experience more intimate.
Let me emphasize, you do not need to be a Star Trek fan or have any knowledge about Klingons to truly enjoy this show. A Klingon Christmas Carol was obviously written with Star Trek enthusiasts in mind so there is a lot here for Trek fans to love; yet it is not an exclusive experience. There are Star Trek Easter Eggs throughout the show and in-jokes that Trekkies and Trekkers alike will find hilarious. For those of you that aren’t as familiar with Star Trek, don’t worry, you won’t feel left out or lost. Watching A Klingon Christmas Carol is no different than watching a foreign film with subtitles. And while the story is familiar, this is a fresh take with surprises throughout.
Justin Blankenship as vreD, Matt Calhoun as QacIt, and Tony Bunnel as Squja
Director John Gleason Teske does an exceptional job staging this classic story with a very gifted group of actors. Surprisingly, the set and props are minimal for a big science fiction story, yet they look and feel very effective and allowed me to engage with the show in a similar way to the original Start Trek series did. The costuming was also a lot of fun and not distracting at all. In fact, there are subtle jokes conveyed through costuming that added to the enjoyment of the show. The stage combat is also fantastic and added a thrilling element to the story we know so well.
Alex Dematralis, Elise Soeder as Narrator, Kent Joseph, Liam Walsh as timHom, Mandi Corrao, and Tony Bunnel as Squja
A Klingon Christmas Carol deserves to stand tall next to Goodman’s A Christmas Carol as a Chicago Theater Holiday Classic. If you identify as a nerd or a geek, go see this show. If you want to have a fun and unique holiday experience, go see this show. If you want to see what makes theater in Chicago a creative force to be reckoned with, go see this show. The bottom line is, A Klingon Christmas Carol deserves to become a staple in your holiday experience, and the only way this will happen is for people to see it and to spread the word about how enjoyable it is.
A Klingon Christmas Carol runs Nov. 29ththrough December 16 at The Edge Theater in Chicago, IL (5451 N Broadway). Tickets are available at EdgeofOrion.comor call (773) 769-9112 for more details.
