by Maria Staiano-Daniels
Daily Lobo
Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is the story most commonly rehashed as a TV holiday special. This means many people are sick of it.
Fortunately, starting today, Albuquerque's Hit and Run Players will present their take on the classic tale.
According to performer Catherine Huan, "A Very Hit and Run Players Christmas Carol" is just one of many altered classics the group has produced, including "Moby Dick" and "Anna Karenina." Huan said the Hit and Run Players' version of "A Christmas Carol" explores the themes of the original work, instead of reproducing the plot.
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"It's not about the piece so much as it is about us," Huan said.
Fellow actor Julia Thunium agreed, saying in the show, the universe thrusts the Hit and Run Players into the role of Scrooge as punishment for their previous mangling of great works of literature. The piece is about the Hit and Run Players and their history as much as about Dicken's novel, Thunium said.
The Hit and Run Players have quite a history in Albuquerque. The group formed four-and-a-half years ago at the Cell Theater's monthly Multimedia Cabaret doing sketch comedy. Things moved smoothly from there.
"We sort of came together organically," Huan said.
Huan said the Hit and Run Players are very collaborative - they have no director and write their works as a group. Thunium added group members were good at building off each other's ideas.
Members of the Hit and Run Players are trained performers with experience in comedy, improv and, in Thunium's case, clowning. Thunium spent two years as a clown with the Ringling Brothers Circus. Thunium said her training gives her a love of physical comedy that shows up in her performance.
Thunium said the Hit and Run Players are scarier than clowns.
According to Huan, the Hit and Run Players developed a following from their monthly performances. Fans are probably happy now, as the group has not performed in some time. Huan said members of the Hit and Run Players wanted to pursue individual projects.
"We're calling it our group therapy break," Thunium said.
The Hit and Run Players reunited thanks to the new theatrical producer - Prodigy Arts Coalition - and a new performance space inside Winrock Mall. Despite their sabbatical, the Hit and Run Players are right back in the groove.
"It's like a bad '60s band getting together," Thunium said.
Thunium said the group works well together and has a lot of fun on stage.
Not surprisingly, the Hit and Run Players want their show to be hilarious. According to Huan, the group's goal is to make audience members laugh so hard they need to pee.
"It's medicinal to laugh," she said.
Thunium agreed. She loves to watch wacky, irreverent things during the Christmas season, and hopes others will, too, she said.
"Come in and have a good laugh at our expense," she said.
