"A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol" is remarkably different from Broadway Rose's usual Yuletide fare. On the one hand, there is more story, which I've often wished for in previous years, and there is a comedic section featuring a parody of Private Eye radio dramas, which I appreciated very much as a fan of the genre. On the other hand, there is very little singing, and most of it seems incidental to the plot. As much as my own Inner-Scrooge hates to admit it, the bulk of the show-with its wartime themes registers quite often as a bit of a downer. I must also admit that I would be far more willing to tolerate this change of tone from a company other than Broadway Rose. Their unashamedly festive revues are often a welcome counterbalance to the other offerings around town which aim for a more melancholy, or even negative tone. Last year's Broadway Rose holiday production finally struck just the right balance between book and score, and so I hope that next year's "It Happened One Christmas" is a triumphant return to form.
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