Witty writing makes Q Brothers a 'Carol' worth seeing
The 1980s R&B that greets theatergoers for the latest holiday-themed ad-rap-tation from Chicago's Q Brothers has nothing to do with the Christmas season.
But the oh-so-familiar tunes by Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson and Bell Biv DeVoe (which DJ Super Nova segues seamlessly between) establish a party atmosphere in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's black box space. They also provide the perfect prelude for "A Q Brothers Christmas Carol," a highly physical, hip-hop retelling of Charles Dickens' classic tale.
Witty, exuberant and fueled by the boundless energy of creator/directors GQ and JQ - along with fellow collaborators Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle - this "Carol" puts a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.
It is - most definitely - not your mama's "A Christmas Carol."
Clever writing. sly humor and infectious beats propel the show, developed by the Brothers Q with CST creative director Rick Boynton. The show's humor - which includes references to "A Christmas Story" and Emanuel brothers Rahm and Ari - is accompanied by some sharply succinct criticism of corporate greed, outsourcing, the exploitation of foreign workers and urban poverty. There's also a brief but biting rap about extremists co-opting religion. But mostly, "A Q Brothers Christmas Carol" is a fresh, contemporary take on a tale that regularly needs retelling.
This fast-moving incarnation has a warm heart, irresistible score and outsize personalities evidenced by Pringle's Ghost of Christmas Past, an old-school rapper in the Run DMC tradition, and JQ's Belle, the nerdy accountant for her father's wig company (Fezzie Wigs, get it?) who "gets fiscal" with young Scrooge one Christmas Eve.
The ever-optimistic Lil' Tim (JQ) suffers from a variety of maladies, including gout and dyslexia. Pringle's amiable Bob Cratchit likes his family to call him "Big Poppa," and Doran's Mama Cratchit is a picture of resourcefulness in the face of grinding poverty. But it's JQ who stops the show with his terrific performance as Jacob Marley, who haunts his former partner Scrooge in the guise of a reggae-loving Rastafarian backed by two spirits known as The Wailers.
Kudos to GQ as well for his passionate, emotional performance as Scrooge, a crank who treats his money like his mistress until he learns that "what you put out in the world comes back to you." For the record, the cleverly worded invective GQ's Scrooge gleefully substitutes for the signature "bah-humbug" is itself practically worth the price of admission.
Some of the scenes go on a bit long, but that's a minor point in this "Carol," a welcome addition to Chicago's holiday lineup.
“A Q Brothers Christmas Carol”
★ ★ ★ ½
Location: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, (312) 595-5600 or
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 3 and 6 p.m. Sunday (4 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7), through Dec. 31. Also 10 p.m. Dec. 26, 7 p.m. Dec 30, 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31
Running time: About 80 minutes, no intermission
Tickets: $30-$48
Parking: Garage adjacent to theater; validation available at box office
Rating: For teens and older