Andy Martin Jr
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the Grinch.
The beloved creation of Dr. Seuss was published in 1957 and turned into an iconic animated TV special in 1966. Since then it has taken its place among treasured holiday traditions, along with the Frank Capra classic It’s a Wonderful Life, O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, and Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker. Now instead of saving the Grinch for a bedtime story, you can bring the whole family to Overture Center for the Broadway musical version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, onstage in Overture Hall through November 26th. The production is an explosion of Christmas cheer, with a side of spectacle and some contemporary pop culture references thrown in to make sure that the adults have as much fun as the kids do.
Visually, the show is a delight. From the enormous lighted wreath that hangs in front of the curtain to begin the show, to every set piece and prop that creates Whoville, the style is distinctly Seuss. The fantastical landscapes, simple color schemes and Seuss’s own signature pen drawings make the stage look like the pages of his books have come to life. Similarly, the exaggerated costumes, in candy cane red and cotton candy pink, transform the whole cast of Whos into creatures living in their own wide-hipped, big-bellied, crazy-hair-styled cartoon world.
The exceptions, of course, are the infamous green fur-clad Grinch and his put-upon sidekick Max, the stray dog adopted by the world’s grumpiest master. The Grinch, played with delicious meanness by Philip Bryan, is as imposing as he is hairy. His furry fingers are elongated to give him an even creepier look, and he swivels his ghastly green hips with glee. Part misanthrope, part egomaniac, and part evil cartoon villain, the Grinch is given a lot of latitude in the production, and Bryan takes full advantage. Not only does he slip in self-referential asides (“Oh no! It’s a ballad!” he whines as Cindy-Lou Who begins to sing about love and family,) he also speaks directly to the audience in quite un-Seussian terms. (“Hashtag, Grinchlife.”) By turns a ham dying for the spotlight and a general crab, he openly mocks the other characters and milks applause from the audience with every entrance. Some of it works, some it sails over the top into cringe-worthy territory.
In an interesting departure from previous iterations of The Grinch, the story is told by a much older version of Max the dog, whose fur and expressive tail have gone gray. He appears onstage alongside his previous self, all energy and excitement in the brown and white coat of his youth. As old Max, Bob Lauder looks back on the story of his master, narrating and lending his rich bass-baritone to the evening’s best musical number, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Young Max, played by Andreas Wyder, tries to act as the Grinch’s conscience while expressing his natural puppy exuberance through a lot of acrobatics.
The other stand-out character is this version is little Cindy-Lou Who, played by Avery Sell on opening night (she rotates the role with Delilah Rose Pellow).She is given much more to do in the stage musical than in the original book, all of it completely adorable. Not only did the tiny actress bust out a big voice for her solo “Santa for a Day,” she also carries the message of the show, which is not as much about anti-consumerism as it is about loving people who are unlovable and extending a hand, or a hug, to those you revile. As it turns out, that’s the only way to move forward and celebrate a merry Christmas.
Although the content of the 80-minute production often feels too thin, there is stage magic aplenty to keep the audience engaged, including a Grinch that scales the entire proscenium, and a fantastic sledding scene as poor Max pulls a sleigh down the mountain to collect every last stocking, gift, and roast beast, trying to prevent Christmas from coming. A few surprises at the end of the performance make the evening even more enchanting. And that is, in part, what Christmas is all about.
Editor's note: This article was updated to reflect the fact that Avery Sell played the character of Cindy-Lou Who on the night this performance was reviewed.
