#fred vhscc

[awigglycultist]

Fred: Guess what I'm about to get!

Scrooge: On my nerves

[timoothy]

do you guys think they’re married

[artchixs]

have a lot of Mila and some other misc doodles

[its-short-for-jackalope]

so like... who do I have to bribe to make digital tickets for the VHS Christmas Carols happen?

[loverlylight]

VHSCC did an especially good job of utilizing Starkid's "many cast members play multiple roles" tendency by having Jim and Young Scrooge, Della and Belle, Fred and Tiny Tim, the Grandma and the Ghost of Christmas Future, and Fezziwig and Bob Cratchit all being duos played by the same actors. Like, any of those dual roles being played by the same person is an awesome creative decision, but all five? That's spectacular.

[languesbians]

Some thoughts on A VHS Christmas Carol, from a big ACC fan

In this post I’ll be referring to three other musical adaptations: Scrooge! (1970), The Muppet Christmas Carol (”MCC”, 1993) and A Christmas Carol: The Musical (”ACCTM”, 2004).

Bah Humbug!

First of all, nice inclusion of the narrator as a main character in the show. Dickens’ narrator has a lot of the best lines in the original book and not many adaptations include him (MCC being the big exception, of course).

BH is a classic “Scrooge is a bad guy” song, similar to MCC’s “Scrooge” and some others that aren’t as good. As this is a sung-through musical, BH also takes on the whole scene of Scrooge in his offices, with Fred’s visit, the charity collectors and Bob asking for the day off. It pretty neatly covers all of those points, has some really nice use of rhyme and metre, and most importantly is an absolute banger.

3 Spirits

Just to get this out of the way straight off: Meredith looks amazing; I really like this version of Marley and their body language and the music give them a great spooky vibe.

Both MCC’s (”Marley and Marley”) and ACCTM’s (”Link By Link”) Marley songs are some of the most fun in their respective musicals, but VHSCC takes a different approach of going for a more toned-down, otherwordly version rather than a big bombastic one.

This song has some great lines, with special mention to some of Marley’s adapted from the original: “My spirit never grew in life, I only grew my wealth” and “These scary chains I wear are also around you”, plus two of Scrooge’s funniest lines from this scene, “You're just indigestion” and “If they all came together it could save some time” which are good examples of how this show manages to include quite a lot of the original in such a short space of time.

I’m the Ghost

SoCPast is notoriously difficult to faithfully adapt to the original novel in a live-action setting, with only Jim Carrey’s (animated) version even trying. Jaime gives her ghost an almost ethereal voice which helps make her seem more... well, ghostly despite having a relatively ordinary appearance. I’d say it compares favourably to Jane Krakowski’s rather lovely performance of “Lights of Long Ago” in ACCTM.

Scrooge’s two big emotional moments - remembering Fred is his sister’s son and comparing Fezziwig to himself as a boss - are nicely handled here:

GOCP: “Everyone's so happy, but why?” ES: “The boss did a lot for us.” GOCP: “This wasn't very much to buy.” ES: “Not just what he bought for us. He gave us much more than that. He made us have a blast. You don't understand it.” GOCP: “Something on your mind?” ES: “Bob Cratchit...”

So many people are familiar with this story now that VHSCC doesn’t need to cover things in too much detail and can afford to be efficient with its lines - and even if you don’t remember this scene, just that one like “Bob Cratchit” says it all, really.

Two last points: the Ghost’s final “I’m the Ghost” just after “I’m Belle” is very funny, and Fezziwig’s party is unusually short compared to most musicals which make a lot out of it having actual music within the narrative, but that just gives us more time for...

That Scrooge

Huge props to Clark for making a Scrooge/Belle song which isn’t skippable - there’s a reason MCC cut “When Love Is Gone” from the film. Doing it as a power ballad rather than a wistful sad song was a great choice which turns this scene from usually a drag on the pacing to a strong contender for the best song of the show. Oh, and Janaya is so good in the staged version.

Christmas Electricity

Unlike his predecessor, SoCPres is pretty easy to get right - he’s fun, jolly and loveable, and gets a fun song to match his personality. “It Feels Like Christmas” is one of MCC’s best-loved songs, “I Like Life” from Scrooge has a catchy chorus, and ACCTM’s “Abundance and Charity” is... also there.

“Christmas Electricity” is an absolute bop, it’s impossible to not dance to and this Ghost is great in the hands of Starkid’s most talented dancer. I don’t have much else to say which you don’t already know - this song is very popular among the fandom - except for two other things:

Dylan’s reactions to “I spread it to the wealthy” and “Maybe you’re a greedy dick” are really enjoyable

I like the condensing of the “guessing game” scene into just two lines.

Priceless

This song is so incredibly 80s i refuse to believe it was written last year. Like “That Scrooge” it’s an upgrade from the saccharine rubbish most adaptations give the Cratchits (who, in the songwriters’ defence, are famously pretty boring). Giving the roles to two of Starkid’s longest-running and most-loved cast members probably helped quite a bit as well.

"Priceless” somehow makes them feel more... real. Finally they have some personality, especially Peter “Grateful I don't have what Tim has got” Cratchit. Okay, I’m being unfair - MCC and the 1999 Patrick Stewart version mostly avoid this by casting Kermit/Miss Piggy and Richard E. Grant respectively.

The Final Ghost

Even Bill Murray’s Scrooged, with its New York cab driver and unstable fairy as the first two spirits, didn’t veer from the classic Grim Reaper look for its final visitation. VHSCC does away with that old look and makes SocYtC a normal-looking human... except that they only sing in wordless vowels, which is somehow creepier. Swapping the “oo”s with “Ebenezer Scroooooge” at the gravestone reveal is a really nice effect which just hammers home the shock he’s feeling. Also, special mention to Joey and Lauren’s shaky voices in the Cratchits’ bit of this song.

On a lighter note, Scrooge’s reaction of “Okay spirit, funny joke, but that's not what I meant” to SoCYtC taking “Can anyone express any emotion from this death?” is pretty funny. It’s something which isn’t in the original novel but is very in-character for Dickens’ version of Scrooge.

Christmas Day

In the tradition of Holy Musical B@man, Firebringer and TGWDLM, the finale includes elements from multiple songs earlier in the show, like “Christmas Electricity” and “Priceless”. Of course we have to include the “Scrooge was better than his word” bit, and this version includes the bit about Scrooge ignoring people who laugh at him which doesn’t usually turn up, so clearly Clark has been paying attention to the source material.

We end with the final section of “Bah Humbug”, reinterpreted in a positive light to give the musical a big, heartwarming finish and a great tone to send everyone home on.

Conclusions

All in all, this is not only a good musical, it’s also a good adaption of ACC which manages to incorporate most of the key elements (both plot and character-wise) of the original while adapting well to its unusual setting. Credit to Clark and everyone else involved in making it, well done guys!

[awigglycultist]

[loverlylight]

So I've made it pretty clear how much I love VHSCC, so since we don't know if there will be a way to watch this specific performance again once the digital tickets are no longer available, I wanted to write down some of my favorite bits that I don't see people talking about that much. Warning, this gets long, so apologies.

Acting:

-Line deliveries I loved: The Match Girl's increasing desperation when trying to sell the matches, "Bob Cratchit" in I'm The Ghost, Scrooge and Belle being so awkward and sweet together, "That's offensive, okay" when Scrooge said the Cratchits seem pretty poor, "I'll toast my hope that he dies" and "Makes you wonder how long he'll last" in Priceless, the Match Girl's "Woohoo!" in Christmas Day

-Physical acting I loved: Bob walking away and Scrooge stops him so he slowly walks back and sits down so he can have Bah Humbug yelled at him, Scrooge's little "no"s about the happiness about Christmas and then being like "yeah that's it" when Christmas Present is like maybe you're a greedy dick, Scrooge learning the Christmas Electricity dance, Jim and Della as the couple in The Final Ghost (Jim is SO happy Scrooge is dead!), Scrooge crossing his fingers when waiting to hear what day it is

-Pretty sure Curt flips off Scrooge after the "after you" gesture in Bah Humbug which is especially hilarious since he's pretty much in the Young Scrooge outfit at that point. Honestly though Curt's background acting is always fun.

-Brian is a great Fred in general, but I especially love the "even though you're a total dick" line and how he tries to hug Scrooge when he's about to leave.

-Love Jacob forcing Scrooge to sit down, but I also love the whole hand circling the face and slashing across his neck at the "your old partner who's dead" line.

-Look I know I'm showing favoritism here but Curt as baby Scrooge just looks like he's so sad but trying to be stoic about it and just poor kid. Also, it was only for a second but Curt and Lauren as Young Scrooge and his sister plus Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past talking about her afterwards makes me cry so much. Especially them laughing in excitement about spending Christmas together, just...

-The "grateful I don't have what Tim has got" line is always hilarious, but I love how Peter takes the mike from his mom and is standing very quietly and politely before the very enthusiastically sung line and the awkward double shrug afterward.

-The "NO!" and the blue light and the spirit singing words for the first time and of course people have mentioned this but Scrooge pleading to the stone-faced people he refused to help is just... MAN. This whole song was amazing, but that climax was suitably climactic.

-Bob pulling Scrooge in for a hug, Marley holding his hand, Della patting his cheek, I'm gonna cry--

Music:

-How well Christmas Day, Bah Humbug, and the new opening number tie into each other, especially the Bah Humbug tune being prominent in the opening and the "past present and future" lines

-How well Christmas Day was rearranged to add the new parts of the story, those additions genuinely feel like they were meant to be there all along.

-Unless I'm forgetting something, the only time Meredith joins Clark in the narration is during Christmas Day, which even more makes it feel like it's Marley singing and not just as part of a chorus.

-The "Christmas Day" bit and "Christmas Eve" bits are very similar rhythmically but different tonally which is fun.

Staging/lighting/costuming/et cetera:

-The TV/VHS tape signifying death/the afterlife! While we do see Jim behind the TV at one point, the only people we see on the VHS tape part of the stage (apart from the band) are those who are dead/spirits. All the spirits in Christmas Carol enter the stage that way whenever they appear, as does the Grandma in the Match Girl, and the Match Girl herself steps onto the tape to signify her death. It also helps facilitate Meredith switching from being in the band to active story participant and AUGH it's so good!

-The backwards "c" on the Match Girl's sign

-The lighting during the song before Grandma Land! The lighting throughout the whole show is amazing, but almost all the time there's a lot of bright neon colors, so it's utilized amazingly when the colors cut out whenever the matches go out and it really sells you on the feeling of cold and isolation and stark reality.

-From what I can tell for the rest of the show only one of the rewind/pause/fast forward buttons are lit up at a time, but when all three spirits first appear they're all lit up at once.

-The Ghost of Christmas Present's outfit is awesome, the light-up shoes most of all <3

-I love all the sparkly outfits at Fred's party (I mean obviously all the costuming throughout the show is A++), but especially Lauren's dress and Curt's jacket. I want that jacket. I would have exactly zero occasion to wear it but still.

-Fred with the sparkly Santa hat and the sunglasses~

More Gift of the Magi thoughts:

-I love how much Curt and Janaya show how much Jim and Della love each other, why each of them loves the other and why the other loves them, it's just... Jim and Della are so clearly in love with each other and it's absolutely precious.

-The "21 dollars and zero cents" part is AMAZING.

-Even though losing what they cherish most stung in the moment, they're only thinking about the other person afterwards-- Della's worrying about her hair is more about what Jim will think and not her own loss, and Jim is so excited to come home and it's the "best Christmas Eve ever" even though he just gave up his watch.

-Jim in general is the personification of love and sunshine and has one of the most contagious smiles ever

Just silly things:

-Oh hey it's the second deadliest man alive from Spies Are Forever. Seems life took him on a better path this time, good for him.

-Another addition to the Lauren Lopez playing Curt Mega's mom collection.

-Look, if we're cool with the whole crossing over VHSCC and Hatchetfield concept, I want Peter Cratchit to be Pizza Pete. I know he's probably too young for it to make sense but I like the idea of Curt Mega selling the place to Curt Mega

[awigglycultist]

Finally got some free time this week (well actually I did have free time before this but that was spent crying about my last day of school) so that finally means I finally get to watch VHS Christmas Carol just barely in time for the finale day of this week of Rewatchers2000! (it's still Sunday for me okay?)

I've said many times before but I absolutely love VHSCC and I always end up thinking about in the spring time, so this is definitely great

I love everyone coming through the audience

I love Fred's energy so much

Here's my man Bob Cratchit!!!

I love that the background turns all static when Scrooge is yelling at Bob

I love the way different characters react when passing by Scrooge during the "the crabbiest, scumbaggiest" bit. Like AJ ducks below him, James makes an angry face and like steps up to him and waves him away, and Jaime blocks her face.

The way Clark and AJ sound together during the transition song, especially on the "as the man begins to speeeaaakkk" bit ugghh omg they sound so good

Ugh Meredith as Jacob Marley hnggg

"these scary chains I wear" can't help but to make me laugh I little I'm sorry

I love how much cheering and screaming there is for Jaime through I'm The Ghost

Jaime's voice is so hnngngng aughfhf snhmfnfa ya know?

I'll never get over the Ghost of Xmas Past smoking a cigarette

Also I love the way she teases Scrooge during the transition song and That Scrooge

Speaking of That Scrooge HNNNG AUGHFHNANSDHDMR AOBSVDJDBFH HNGNGBG

Seriously they all sooo amazing

Ahh my man!! Ghost of Xmas Present!!

I love Scrooge trying to stop himself from dancing

I sure feel the Christmas electricity in this Chili's tonight

Shout out to AJ's little facial expressions during this bit

And we got some real cocain!

James' glasses and shoes lighting up and being the only things you can see in the dark is so fun

Also Scrooge is high let's goooo

Does anyone know what Brian says after "our tiny tin is getting heavier" bc I still have no clue

Oh boy Priceless time!!

God the disgusts on Emily's face Vs how happy and proud Bob looks is so funny

YEAH GO OFF EMILY CRATCHIT

You really can feel the love in this song

Haha among us

Big Chungus

Go off Ghost of Xmas Present

Ughh James' "BAH HUMBUUUUUUUG"

Final Ghost is such a bop

Jamie really does sound etherial

Scrooge you dummy you're the dead guy

I will never get I've over gay couple

Ugh the emotion in Joey's voice

Woo quick change

Ugh its so cool that they included Ali (and Britney in the preshow)

Once again saying it but the hug between Bob and Scrooge and Marley and Scrooge are so warm

How am I just now realizing that AJ And Corey don't come out during the bit where they all walk across the stage ("Scrooge was better, than his word" ect) and instead don't come back out until the "the meanest man there ever was" bit

Also shout out to the little boop on the nose Scrooge gives to Tiny Tim

Shout out to the person who yells "he's back!" when Brian comes out to bow

[loverlylight]

Also, I'm still incessantly rewatching VHSCC, and while I want to take the time to write about all the little things I love about the production one thing I'll say right now is that I absolutely love the sparkly jacket Curt wore during Fred's party and I want it.