Curmudgeons, cripples, and Christmas spirit — what more could you ask for in a traditional holiday play?

After listing some of the local plays currently in production in my last article, I couldn't wait to start seeing some of them for myself. B Street Theatre's version of A Christmas Carol looked like the perfect place for me to begin.

The audience was packed with children, families, and Dickens readers eager to see Buck Busfield's rendition of the timeless classic. The scene opens on Miss Havisham's establishment, where Charles Dickens comes to find his peace, quiet and inspiration.

It's Christmas Eve and he has a day to finish writing his Christmas novel. Amid "humbugs," insults thrown at absolutely everyone, and a general dislike of Christmas spirit, Dickens is established as the play's Scrooge. And what happens to Scrooge in the novel happens to Dickens in the play.

The cast really worked together to produce a polished production that not only entertained the adults, but continually held the attention of the children. Sophisticated dialog and character development were combined with the right amount of over-acting and exaggeration — exercised to carry the message to children — to produce a play fit for the entire family.

Greg Alexander stars as Charles Dickens, making Dickens' whiny, spoiled brat of a character actually quite lovable with his comedic timing and facial expressions. Other roles that really stand out for me are Jamie Jones' portrayal of the aggressive, man-hating Miss Havisham, and Sara Perry's role of Alice as the epitome of Christmas spirit.

Overall, Busfield's version complements Dickens' novel and reinforces the timeless adage of Christmas Spirit.

For more information about B Street Theatre, or to reserve tickets for the show, visit www.bstreettheatre.org.