Brian Clowdus Presents "The Christmas Carol Experience"

-Atlanta, GA-

Blue fog spills out of the closed coffin as mourners step back in horror. Ebenezer Scrooge’s condemning words to the guests of Jacob Marley’s funeral still hang in the air. I watch as Marley, wrapped in heavy, clanking chains rises from the fog and sets the well-known events of Charles Dickens’ classic story A Christmas Carol in motion.

Although the main beats of A Christmas Carolremain, Brian Clowdus’ The Christmas Carol Experienceis a unique reimagining of a story we’ve been telling for over one hundred years. This immersive adaptation has guests entering the historic Wren’s Nest in Atlanta, GA, the home of Joel Chandler Harris, better known as Uncle Remus. Guests have the opportunity to follow Scrooge and Marley through the old home and visit the spirits of Christmases past, present, and yet to come. This time, however, the spirits have possessed three women of importance in Scrooge’s life. These women, often glanced over in other tellings of Scrooge’s story of redemption now take center

stage as the actors breathe new life into their stories.

Mrs. Cratchit, possessed by the Ghost of Christmas Present, displays a wide range of raw emotion in the short time spent with her. She idolizes Ebenezer and desires to thank him with the little she has to offer, not knowing that Mr. Cratchit has been lying to her so that she does not find out how poorly Scrooge actually treats him. As Scrooge (who is feeling quite miserable at this point) harshly rejects her offerings, her pain and confusion are communicated powerfully in her voice and facial expressions before Scrooge is whisked away by Marley.

Belle, possessed by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, serves as another memorable addition to the story. Belle is revealed to be the reason Scrooge and Marley had a falling out prior to Marley’s death. Scrooge loved Belle in his youth before his greed drove her away. Marley married her instead. Now, Scrooge’s motivation to change is driven by the desire to love and protect the widow Belle. This unexpected twist added an emotional layer to Scrooge’s redemptive odyssey resulting in a beautiful conclusion of forgiveness and healing.

Before the evening came to a close, Scrooge completed his journey to each of the three spirits three times. This cyclical structure ensured all guests had the chance to experience every piece of the story. Narratively, this repetition served as a sort of purgatory for Scrooge until he had learned his lesson. I witnessed the Ghost of Christmas Present’s story all three times and loved seeing Scrooge soften just a little bit more each time he was confronted by the impact of his actions. Festive games and Christmas caroling filled any downtime not spent with Scrooge and Marley. Although these rooms definitely felt like filler, they were all enjoyable and fit within the story well enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Christmas Carol Experience. The house was beautiful and appropriately creepy. The actors were all excellent, and I will never forget their haunting rendition of O Holy Nightaround Marley’s coffin. I would have preferred a little more meat to the story with less filler, but I left with a smile on my face and would recommend this show as a great starting place for anyone interested in learning more about immersive theater.

The Wren's Nest- Atlanta, GA