Annual Christmas Revels’ production fills the stage with delight

Reviews

12.04.2016

By Iris Fanger, Daily News Correspondent

CAMBRIDGE – The folks at Christmas Revels have outdone themselves with this year’s production, billed as an “Acadian-Cajun Celebration.”

The central theme of families forced from Canada to Louisiana against their will is no less current today than in the 18th century when the British expelled the French who had settled in Acadie, now known as Nova Scotia. Sadly, the explosion of populations in search of safe havens is a fact of the world we live in.At the heart of the performance is a slow, long procession by the entire cast down the diagonal of Harvard’s Sanders Theatre stage near the end of Act I. Although paced to a song of departure, “Le Depart Du Canada,” the evening is far from mournful. Under the direction of Patrick Swanson, and the music direction of Megan Henderson, the experience has been turned into a joyful medley of music, dance and singing, drawn from the richness of Acadian culture that was ultimately transformed into Cajun traditions, after the community had traveled 1,600 miles to find new homes.

David Coffin, the beloved face and voice of The Revels and the genial master-of-ceremonies, is helped by a quartet of local actors, Steve Barkheimer, Noni Lewis, Ross MacDonald and Lola May Williamson, who narrate the historic chronicle and also change character to take part in several of the scenes. You will not soon forget Barkheimer, no slouch as a musician himself, as the Elton John look-alike or MacDonald as a crazed, sword-slinging Ninja King Rex in the Mummer’s Play, re-written in a Southern accent and spiced with voodoo dolls.

Studding the show are experts in the immigrant French music who double as performers and advisors. Chief among them is the sweet-voiced Josee Vachon, born in Quebec but raised in Maine, who chants the songs, often self-accompanied by a stepping motion called Canadian foot tapping, performed either seated or standing. The movement is akin to tap dance but less conscious as a performance technique, more like talking or stamping out the beat for herself, but mesmerizing for a viewer to watch. At her side are the consummate fiddler Lisa Ornstein and musicians David Greely, Keith Murphy, Tom Pixton and Becky Tracy, as colorful and varied in their individual personalities as the syncopated rhythms from their instruments.

As always over the 45-year history of “The Christmas Revels,” the large, multi-generational cast fills the stage in wondrous choirs and ensembles. I counted nearly 100 players, musicians, singers and dancers, comprising the children’s chorus, Les Voix d’Acadie (the adults), the Cambridge Brass Ensemble, the Middlesex 4H Fife and Drum and the Pinewoods Morris Men.

The children are a special delight, in the sweetness of their voices and the natural energy of their game-playing, particularly in the tossing of a toy stuffed chicken into the audience, set to “La Poulette Grise,” an old French counting song. Members of the adult chorus charmed with their performance of several familiar-looking square dances or quadrilles, but also in the Cajun two-step couple dancing. Jeremy Barrett has designed a huge tree with deep roots as a backdrop that serves as a screen for projections to enhance the stories, and lighting designer Jeff Adelberg has provided mysterious lights and shadows to surround the ritual of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance.

No worries for those of us who return year after year to Revels for the comfort of hearing the familiar music. Mixed among the many French anthems, bright fiddling and “Vive La Compagni” sing-along, old favorites welcome us into the human chain led by Coffin as the “Lord of the Dance,” and we join in the “Master of this house” blessing at the end. And, best of all, is the sense of community that spills over the edge of the stage to every one of us in the audience.

share this story on social media

Related Stories
See More
Blogs
02.21.2024
Revels Fringe Spotlight: Seven Times Salt

Read More

Blogs
01.07.2024
Midwinter Revels Children’s Chorus Spotlight: Marina & Lena Nugent

Read More

Blogs
12.22.2023
Midwinter Revels Children’s Chorus Spotlight: Jacob & Mira Whiting

Read More

Announcements
12.21.2023
Boston Globe REVIEW: Midwinter Revels Serves Up a Frolicsome ‘Feast of Fools’

Read More

Announcements
12.21.2023
Theater Mirror REVIEW: Revels Goes Medieval in Swanson’s Swan Song with ‘Feast

Read More

Announcements
12.21.2023
Stage and Cinema REVIEW: You’d Be a Fool to Miss this Feast

Read More

Announcements
12.21.2023
Broadway World REVIEW: Midwinter Revels – A Journey of Comfort and Joy

Read More

Announcements
11.10.2023
Boston Globe HOLIDAY ARTS PREVIEW: A medieval ‘Midwinter Revels’ will suffer these

Read More

Blogs
09.18.2023
RiverSing Spotlight: Good Trouble Brass Band

Read More

Announcements
04.11.2023
Debra Wise Appointed Associate Artistic Director of Revels, Inc.

Read More

Blogs
01.12.2023
Midwinter Revels Performer Spotlight – Rosalba Solis

Read More

Blogs
01.05.2023
Midwinter Revels Performer Spotlight – Carolyn Saxon

Read More

Reviews
12.27.2022
Stage and Cinema REVIEW: Let the Revels’ Sun Shine into Your Home

Read More

Reviews
12.22.2022
The Arts Fuse REVIEW: “Midwinter Revels” — Unity, “Behold How Good”

Read More

Reviews
12.21.2022
New England Theater Mirror REVIEW: ‘Midwinter Revels’ Brings Together Multiple Cultures for

Read More

Reviews
12.19.2022
WBUR REVIEW: Revels is back with a more inclusive, rebranded holiday spectacular

Read More

Reviews
12.19.2022
Boston Globe REVIEW: A ‘Solstice Celebration’ for everyone

Read More

Blogs
12.16.2022
Midwinter Revels Chorus Spotlight – Heather Koerber Nunes and Jake Nunes

Read More

Announcements
05.19.2022
Chorus Auditions for The Midwinter Revels: A Celebration of the Solstice

Read More

Blogs
05.13.2022
Midwinter Revels – A Celebration of the Solstice

Read More

Blogs
03.19.2022
Revels Spring Sing Artist Spotlight: Dr. Kathy Bullock

Read More

Blogs
03.11.2022
Revels Spring Sing Artist Spotlight: Claire Dickson

Read More

Announcements
02.21.2022
In Memory of Ashley Bryan

Read More

Blogs
01.03.2022
Common Pursuits in Different Suits

Read More

Reviews
01.01.2022
The Sleepless Critic: ‘Christmas Revels In Celebration of Winter Solstice’ a clever

Read More

Reviews
12.31.2021
The Arts Fuse: “The Christmas Revels 2021” — As Usual, Rising in

Read More

Reviews
12.31.2021
Joyce’s Choices: The Christmas Revels

Read More

Reviews
12.23.2021
New England Theater Mirror: Christmas Revels Returns to Sanders Theater

Read More

Announcements
12.21.2021
Revels, Inc. Names Elijah Botkin as New Music Director

Read More

Reviews
12.20.2021
Boston Globe Review: The ‘Christmas Revels’ celebrates a new direction

Read More

Announcements
12.11.2021
Behind the Scenes at Revels

Read More

Blogs
11.23.2021
Thanks Giving

Read More

Blogs
10.08.2021
Meet Arkansas Light, Christmas Revels Production Stage Manager

Read More

Blogs
09.22.2021
Artist Spotlight: Ken Field

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
01.26.2021
Volunteer Spotlight: Haley Fisher

Read More

Reviews
12.29.2020
The Sleepless Critic Review: Christmas Revels 50th virtual anniversary delivers mirth, merriment,

Read More

Reviews
12.23.2020
Review: Christmas Classics – Virtual Editions and Good as New!!

Read More

Reviews
12.19.2020
Boston Globe Review: This virtual Christmas Revels is a virtual triumph

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
11.10.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Rachel Grygorcewicz

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
10.29.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Nick Browse

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
10.01.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Ross Hall

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
08.26.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Harvey Cohen

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
08.05.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Cathie Ghorbani

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
07.07.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Mari Young

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
06.30.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: Julie Smith

Read More

Blogs
05.19.2020
David Zooms to Perkins

Read More

Volunteer Spotlight
05.13.2020
Volunteer Spotlight: John Recroft

Read More

Blogs
04.30.2020
MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

Read More

Reviews
12.19.2019
Review: Christmas Revels Brings Its Special Cheer to Depression Era America

Read More

Reviews
12.19.2019
BWW Review: THE CHRISTMAS REVELS: A Long Tradition of Community Forged Through

Read More

Reviews
12.17.2019
Theater Review: The Christmas Revels – American Version

Read More

Reviews
12.16.2019
REVIEW: Nearly 50, Christmas Revels is better than ever

Read More

Reviews
12.14.2019
REVIEW: This Christmas Revels goes to the American heartland

Read More

Blogs
11.21.2019
Thanksgiving

Read More

Blogs
06.21.2019
Solstice Duality

Read More

Blogs
03.19.2019
Happy Spring!

Read More

Reviews
12.20.2018
REVIEW: Christmas Revels Celebrates the ‘Other’ Great White North

Read More

Reviews
12.18.2018
REVIEW: ‘The Christmas Revels’ points north

Read More

Reviews
12.18.2018
Theater Review: The Christmas Revels – A Wonderful Nordic Celebration

Read More

Blogs
11.12.2018
Just Add Audience

Read More

Blogs
06.21.2018
The Longest Day

Read More

Blogs
05.16.2018
A Magical Experience: The Making of a CD

Read More

Blogs
02.14.2018
Malibu 2018

Read More

Reviews
12.27.2017
REVIEW: Revels’ ‘Venetian Celebration’ glitters

Read More

Reviews
12.13.2017
REVIEW: Old World Music, Comedy from Renaissance Era Lights Up Christmas Revels

Read More

Blogs
12.12.2017
St. Nicholas in Bohemia: Mikulas Eve

Read More

Reviews
12.10.2017
REVIEW: A handsome ‘Christmas Revels’ brings the party to Venice

Read More

Reviews
12.01.2017
A liberating holiday performance

Read More

Blogs
11.30.2017
The Master of the Revels

Read More

Blogs
06.21.2017
The Solstice Stands Revealed

Read More

Announcements
06.15.2017
Revels is here! Revels is here!

Read More

Blogs
05.24.2017
Striding Arches

Read More

Blogs
04.18.2017
Moonlighting with Shakespeare

Read More

Blogs
02.23.2017
What Blizzard?

Read More

Reviews
12.14.2016
Christmas Revels Enchants with Celebration of Acadian, Cajun Cultures

Read More

Announcements
12.12.2016
The Holy and the Broken Hallelujah Or How I learned to stop

Read More

Reviews
12.12.2016
This Acadian-Cajun Christmas Revels lets the good times roll

Read More

Reviews
12.04.2016
Annual Christmas Revels’ production fills the stage with delight

Read More

Blogs
06.06.2016
A Music Director Reflects

Read More

Blogs
04.11.2016
Fenway’s Ritual Earth

Read More

Announcements
03.08.2016
Welcome to Our New Music Director

Read More

Blogs
02.17.2016
Reflections on Malibu

Read More

Reviews
12.14.2015
‘Christmas Revels’ finally makes it to Wales

Read More

Blogs
12.10.2015
Christmas Revels – Looking Back and Looking Forward

Read More

Blogs
10.26.2015
Dylan Thomas: the intersection where poetry and drama meet

Read More

Announcements
09.16.2015
Revels Music Director George Emlen Announces His Retirement

Read More

Blogs
08.24.2015
Giving Voice

Read More

Blogs
07.17.2015
A Revels Director in Wales

Read More

Blogs
06.19.2015
Summer solstice: the year’s circus act

Read More

Reviews
06.12.2015
The Boston Globe profiles harpist Maeve Gilchrist and Revels FRINGE

Read More

Announcements
05.27.2015
Reporting on Education at Revels

Read More

Blogs
05.11.2015
The Great Flying Machine Race

Read More

Blogs
05.01.2015
The Wheel of the World

Read More

Blogs
04.13.2015
What’s Your Version of the Revels Elephant?

Read More

Announcements
01.26.2015
Farewell from Steve

Read More

Announcements
01.14.2015
Summer Camp

Read More

Reviews
12.17.2014
Fuse Theater Review: The Christmas Revels – Charming English Music Hall Edition

Read More

Reviews
12.17.2014
The Boston Globe Review: For Christmas Revels, a welcome return to Victorian

Read More

Reviews
12.16.2014
Events Insider Review: Christmas Revels Brings Victorian Dance Hall Celebration to Sanders

Read More

Reviews
12.15.2014
TAB Newspapers Theater Review: Revels transports audiences to Victorian England

Read More

Blogs
12.11.2014
The Crystal Palace

Read More

Blogs
09.16.2014
Don’t Blame Persephone

Read More

Blogs
07.07.2014
From the FRINGE: Who’s Maeve Listening to?

Read More

Blogs
06.20.2014
Solstice Fires

Read More

Blogs
04.25.2014
Patriot’s Day – My Favorite Holiday

Read More

Announcements
04.14.2014
A Forum on Arts Funding

Read More

Blogs
03.18.2014
Spring Forward

Read More

Blogs
03.03.2014
The Itinerant Musician

Read More

Announcements
02.05.2014
Welcome to the Revels blog

Read More

Stay up to date
with Revels.
Sign up to receive email updates on performances, events, and news coming from Revels.