Leslie Bricusse?S ?Scrooge? Essay, Research Paper
Scrooge
The play that I read for my independent reading report was Leslie Bricusse’s “Scrooge”. This play is a Christmas musical, which takes place in the 1800’s. It stars Ebenezer Scrooge, a grouchy old businessman who hates Christmas, and every other day of the year. All he cares about is money, and his own personal gain. Not caring about his employees, he tries to make Bob Cratchit work on Christmas. But after a lot of pleading, Scrooge lets him off for Christmas, but cuts his pay.
Later on in the story the sprit his old dead friend and business partner, Jacob Marley, visits Scrooge in bed and warns him of the three sprits that are going to join him in the night. The first sprit to join him at 1 o’clock, the second at 2 o’clock, and the third at 3 o’clock. As the clock strikes one, the first sprit joins him, the sprit of Christmas past. He takes Scrooge back to his childhood. Scrooge sees how nice he was as a child. He also takes him back to his teenage years and shows him his old girlfriend that he was going to marry, but instead marries his one true love, money. After that experience, Scrooge is sent back to his bed to wait for two ‘o clock. When that time comes a Giant comes to take him to see Christmas Present. They both go to Bob Cratchit’s home to see his wife, kids, and the most special kid of all Tiny Tim. Tiny Tim is very sick and needs medical treatment, but Bob does not make enough money for that. So Tim sticks it out and still is full of Christmas sprit. As the Cratchit family sit down to Christmas dinner, which is very poor, they say a prayer, but the prayer is stopped when Bob starts to pray for his boss Scrooge. He hears how much he is hated, and asks to return to his home. He comes home to wait for the last sprit. And at 3 o’clock, the final sprit comes, the sprit of Christmas to come. He is a grim reaper type ghost, and Scrooge is very scared of him. His message is very simple. He takes Scrooge to a graveyard and shows him Cratchit standing at Tiny Tim’s grave. Then he asks what shall become of me? The Sprit points over to a very ugly and deserted grave, that reads “Here Lies Ebenezer Scrooge”. He begs the Sprit to take him home, and he does.
Scrooge wakes up and vow’s to be a changed man. He runs over to a little boy and asked what day it is, and the boy says Christmas Day. After hearing that he runs out and goes on a huge shopping spree. He buys toys and food for the Cratchit family and gives Bob a raise so he can pay for Tiny Tim’s medicine. Scrooge is a changed man, a nicer man, which is something to everyone’s shock, including him.
I really liked this play, because I am a fan of Christmas plays. I thought that the dialog was very good, and that the songs in the musical were very nice for the story. I liked how all the sprits were laid out, and that every character was very well thought out. I don’t think I would act in it because I don’t see myself in this play. I have to be able to see myself in a play before I decide to do it. But I would not mind seeing it live on stage. Overall, Scrooge was a very good play, and I would like to read it again someday.