A Christmas Carol
Last Update 05-Mar-2008
by - Charles Dickens
From 9th to 16th December
 |
Presented by - NonentitiesLocation - Main House (A)Standard Ticket PricesCurtain Up 7.30pm |
Christmas would not be Christmas without a dedicated dose of Dickens, and what better way to get into the ‘spirit’ than with on of the most familiar and symbolic of Christmas tales. This salutary story was on stage just three months after publication and new versions have abounded throughout the years. This one, adapted by John Mortimer, was first presented by the RSC in 1994 and is one of the most successful enchanting children of all ages. Be prepared for a big helping of Christmas Magic in a production that promises, loads of atmosphere, fantastic surprises, spectacular lighting and effects and a band of actors ready to cast a Christmas spell over you all. |
 |
Directors Notes
A Christmas Carol is such an integral part of Christmas that it is impossible to go through the festive season without some contact with the story in one of its many adaptations. Dickens was a master of characterisation but even he was unable to create another character that has so embedded itself into the collective consciousness to the extent of Ebenezer Scrooge. His transformation from embittered skinflint to generous benefactor captures the magic of Christmas so successfully that the story continues to enchant so many years after its initial publication.
A Christmas Carol is an uplifting and heart warming story about how one man sees the error of his ways and “seeks to interfere for good in human matters before he loses the power forever”. But Dickens was far too skilled a writer to leave us with empty emotion and through the visit of the three spirits we see that the cruel businessman was a product of a lonely and tragic childhood where Scrooge lost all those who were close to him, particularly his beloved sister. It is also necessary for Scrooge to plummet into the depths of desperation before redemption and salvation are offered. Thus when the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come reveals the writing on the tombstone it is essential that Scrooge believes that to be his fate before there is a hint of recovery. As always, Dickens presents his tale within the context of the time where the great wealth of the few is contrasted to the grinding poverty experienced by many. The appearance of the two children, ignorant and want, is as relevant now as when it was first written.
Scrooge first appeared on stage just three months after the initial publication of the story and new versions have appeared almost annually. The version that we have chosen to present was adapted by John Mortimer and was first staged by the RSC in 1994. Mortimer skilfully allows Dickens’ words to drive the narrative whilst providing means of translating the story to the stage. With the constraints of the stage requiring a smaller cast than the RSC originally used, we do require a suspension of disbelief from the audience. An actor may appear in two scenes separated only by seconds but is likely to be a different character.
Ultimately A Christmas Carol succeeds because it works on so many levels. For some, the enchantment comes from the Spirits and the heart warming ending which sees Scrooge banish his demons forever. For many, however, we will connect with the story on a much deeper level and this has helped to ensure its longevity. There are certainly times when all of us feel that we do not like the people that we have become, that the idealism of our youth has been tarnished. What Scrooge offers us is hope, that we can still strive to be the people that we wanted to be. And “May that be truly said of us and all of us.” -