Clad in black with festive red scarves, Island Stage Left’s production ranges from painful to funny to delightful with dizzying rapidity. Opening with Coventry Carol about Herod’s slaughter of children, Helen Machin-Smith reminds the full audience of those innocents in Ukraine and Palestine today, and how fortunate we are to be on San Juan.

A medley of music, poetry, song and narration range from Mary Oliver to Ezra Pound to Garrison Keillor and more. Peace and kindness link disparate centuries and countries. A bus driver accepts each of his passengers’ troubles as they depart. Daniel Mayes’ rendition of A Child’s Christmas in Wales spurs fond memories of his Roche Harbor performances when my children were small.

Crossing arms and joining hands at the end unites performers and spectators in a rare moment as we raise our voices in Auld Lang Syne. Helen and Dan will be sorely missed as they retire to Cornwall after bringing Shakespeare to life outdoors and challenging islanders’ intellect with thought-provoking drama. It is my hope local talent they nurtured in young performers during the past 25 years will carry their torch forward and Island Stage Left will continue.

Today Brickworks: — Tuesday at 4 and 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 4 and 6:30 pm.

Gay Wilmerding,

San Juan Island