Once he got over the shock of television, the Internet and adventures in space, a visiting Charles Dickens no doubt would want to take in a year 2000 production of “A Christmas Carol,” the 1843 tale which annually plays in theaters around the world.

Dickens, who gave many readings from the work in 19th century England, surely would enjoy the Penobscot Theatre Company production now running at the Bangor Opera House.

He would, of course, be quite taken with Ken Stack, the formidable actor portraying the transformable Ebenezer Scrooge for the 18th time.

Stack thunders, bah-humbugs, trembles, cowers, pleads and gambols so truly that one might think Scrooge were based on him, and not the other way around.

Dickens would be charmed by the child actors, frightened by Andy Lyons’ high-flying Marley, and thoroughly entertained by Kim Tripp’s charwoman and Emily LeBlanc’s laundress. The latter pair gleefully pawn their take from Scrooge’s household in a “future” scene after the old man has died.

In other scenes, he’d feel festive watching the Fezziwig dancers, and touched at the impoverished Cratchitt family that is nonetheless joyous about its modest holiday meal: “There never was such a goose.”

It’s possible that Dickens would “oooh” over the tableaux vivants, scenes in which groups such as the Cratchitts and the Fezziwig dancers freeze in position while Scrooge converses with the ghost of the moment.

About those ghosts. The specter of Christmas Past is curious, a small, all-white puppet operated from behind by a visible, black-clad operator.

“I was a boy here,” Scrooge said during a visit to his childhood in the company of this ghost.

The puppet is an example of Bunraku, the ancient Japanese genre of theater used specifically for storytelling.

Christmas Present is a life-size puppet in a fur-trimmed green coat. Later in the scene, two tiny puppets emerge from under the coat. They are “Ignorance” and “Want,” Scrooge is told.

The old coot’s mean words from earlier in the play come back to haunt him – first from the ghost, then in a playback of his own voice, loudly.

Christmas Future is bigger than life-size, all in black, against a scary black backdrop. He lurks and lowers and thoroughly intimidates Scrooge, who finally is getting a clue about Christmas – and life.

“I’m not the man I was,” he said while on his knees. Then, thrilled to find out he hasn’t “missed” Christmas, he goes about mending fences – and being forgiven.

The Bunraku puppets are a new

element this year, and they work well. Their increasing size from past to present to future parallels Scrooge’s growing fearfulness, which makes credible his redemption and promise to change.

Some of the actors still need to be reminded to speak up so that all audience members can hear, but that is the only quibble with the fine performance. Rich Kimball, in a variety of parts, and of course Stack, project their voices nicely.

Ginger Phelps’ costumes – especially the men’s coats – are wonderfully Victorian, and Lynne Chase’s lighting design aptly conveys the mood of the moment, from scary to rejoicing to poignant.

The closing song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” is a delight.

What makes Christmas special is its sense of the familiar – the excitement and decorations, the wishes and hopes, Charlie Brown and Scrooge and the babe in a manger, the carols and Carols.

As usual, Tiny Tim asks God’s blessing on everyone. Director Mark Torres’ adaptation of the traditional and beloved story seconds that thought, and certainly would fulfill Charles’ Dickens hopes for “A Christmas Carol” and its Christmas future.

“A Christmas Carol” will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 20-23, and 2 p.m. Dec. 23, at the Bangor Opera House. Tickets are $15 for adults, $9 for children; some discounts available. For reservations and information, call the Penobscot Theatre box office at 942-3333.