Boston Globe REVIEW: A ‘Solstice Celebration’ for everyone

Reviews

12.19.2022

‘Midwinter Revels’ brings us ‘Tales from Ellis Island’

By Jeffrey Gantz, Globe correspondent. Updated December 18, 2022, 2:39 p.m.

A scene from Midwinter Revels on stage at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre. PAUL BUCKLEY

Revels’ annual celebration of the winter solstice at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre has a new name. For 51 years, it was “The Christmas Revels.” Last year, however, Revels began to re-examine its rituals with an eye to “diversity, equity, and inclusion”; hence “Midwinter Revels.” Not that the previous editions were ever solely about Christmas. Staples like the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, the “Dona nobis pacem” round, the mummers play, Susan Cooper’s 1977 poem “The Shortest Day,” and the traditional finale, “The Sussex Mummers Carol,” are really about driving the dark away. Even “The Lord of the Dance” is at bottom a tale of resurrection and rebirth.

But Revels’ 52nd “Solstice Celebration” is truly inclusive. The year is 1924; the place is Ellis Island. It’s Christmas Eve, and due to processing delays caused by changes in the immigration laws, Irish families and Jewish families from Eastern Europe will be spending this holiday time together. Throw in some medical staff from Mexico and you have what Revels artistic director Patrick Swanson calls “the great American cooking show.” This year, as well, the celebration has returned to its usual two-and-half-hour running time, and, with COVID subsiding, audiences will again be able to snake-dance into the Memorial Hall vestibule following “The Lord of the Dance.” Best of all, the Revels kids, who last year had to perform via Zoom, are back live as the Ellis Island Children.

Jeremy C. Barnett’s simple but effective set for the Ellis Island holding area comprises a trio of long wooden tables and benches and stools placed in front of large mullioned windows. From time to time the curtains are drawn in front of the windows to provide a screen for Ari Herzig’s helpful projections.

After the Liberty Band has opened with a zippy, multicultural Overture composed by Revels’ new music director, Elijah Botkin, the Spirit of Place (Carolyn Saxon) welcomes us and whisks us back to 1924. The Irish immigrants, stage right, sing “The Famine Song”; the Jewish families, stage left, recite the traditional Kaddish prayer. Bridget (Maeve Leahy) is dismayed to learn from her dad (Luke Olivier) that Isaac (Ewan Swanson) and the rest of the Jewish immigrants don’t celebrate Christmas. She says she wasn’t expecting to spend Christmas among strangers, whereupon the Spirit of Place points out that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph weren’t expecting to spend Christmas among strangers either. Bridget and Isaac eventually bond over her mother’s fiddle, an instrument common to both cultures. It’s broken; Isaac, after fixing it, notes that it was made in Prague, perhaps by one of his ancestors.

Master of ceremonies David Coffin recalls “Christmas in the Trenches” during World War I, when in 1914 both sides declared an informal cease-fire and played a soccer game; “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,” The Wild Rover,” and a selection of Irish dance tunes are interspersed with, on the German side, “O Tannenbaum,” “Stille Nacht,” and “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen.” Coffin concludes, “On each end of the rifle, we’re the same.” The Ellis Island Children celebrate Hanukkah by playing with dreidels and lighting candles; Isaac’s bubbe (Stephanie Clayman) tells the cautionary tale of the Golem, who was animated by a rabbi (Haris Papamichael) to protect the Jews; and the audience joins in on the Jewish peace round “Shalom Chaverim.” Sung by Coffin and Saxon, this year’s “Lord of the Dance” has revised, more secular lyrics by Patrick Swanson, and the familiar “Simple Gifts” tune makes way for “Hava Nagila.”

Following a spooky Abbots Bromley Horn Dance from the teenage Great Meadows Morris and Sword, a Mexican immigration official (Ricardo Holguin) tells Bridget’s dad how, during the Mexican-American War, the Irish-American Saint Patrick’s Battalion — soldiers mistreated by their superiors — switched sides and joined the Mexicans. Liberty Band leader Keith Murphy relates this story in “The Sands of Mexico”; Murphy and Holguin sing of the Mexicans’ appreciation; Coffin rounds it off with the San Patricios’ “March to Battle.” Along the way the children re-enact Joseph and Mary’s search for lodging in “Las posadas,” Holguin offers a powerful rendition of “La malagueña,” and Rosalba Solis dances up a storm in “El relámpago.”

Bridget, meanwhile, is determined to have a mummers play, and she tells Isaac he has to take part. Drawing on the Straw Boys of Armagh, “The Straw Folk Mummers Play” has Bridget as Room, her dad as Old Man Winter, and Isaac joining Great Meadows Morris and Sword in an intricate rapper sword dance.

No one puts a foot wrong here or elsewhere. Botkin’s arrangements of Irish, Jewish, and Mexican music are uncannily idiomatic. Sara Peattie’s imaginative puppets include an adorable Mexican donkey, a foosball set, and a monstrous, pincer-handed Golem. And the Ellis Island Children embrace whatever cultural goodies are on offer, skipping rope to Irish mouth music, imitating orchestra instruments in a Yiddish game song, singing ritual Mayan and Aztec tunes. Inclusive to them is doing what comes naturally.

Jeffrey Gantz can be reached at je***********@gm***.com

share this story on social media

Related Stories
See More
Announcements
11.01.2024
Boston Music Intelligencer REVIEW: Going Deeper Underground with “Secret Byrd”

Read More

Announcements
11.01.2024
Events Insider REVIEW: Revels Presents Immersive Musical Theatrical Experience SECRET BYRD at

Read More

Blogs
11.01.2024
Secret Byrd Spotlight: Owain Park

Read More

Announcements
10.26.2024
The Boston Musical Intelligencer PREVIEW: Don’t Tell Anyone About “Secret Byrd”

Read 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.