A Christmas Carol (1988 play)

Last updated
A Christmas Carol
Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart) Broadway Poster.jpg
Window card for original
Broadway production, 1991
Written by Charles Dickens
Adapted by Patrick Stewart
Based on A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
Date premiered1987
Place premiered Mirfield, West Yorkshire
Original languageEnglish
Genre Drama/Monodrama

A Christmas Carol is a one-man stage performance by English actor Patrick Stewart of the Charles Dickens 1843 novella of the same title, which has been performed in the United Kingdom and the United States on occasion since 1988.

Contents

Stewart was originally inspired to create the adaptation during the production of the 1986 film Lady Jane . It is performed without costumes or props, and has Stewart playing more than 30 characters. Critics have praised Stewart's portrayal and compared them to the readings performed by Dickens during the 19th century. A film adaptation of the play, with Stewart reprising his role, aired on TNT in 1999,directed by David Jones and co-starring Richard E. Grant.

Background

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English writer Charles Dickens, first published on 19 December 1843. [1] It has been adapted into a variety of media, with the first theater production taking place in London within six weeks of publication. The run lasted for 40 nights before transferring to the Park Theatre in New York City. In 1853, Dickens began to perform the story itself in public, performing each of the characters himself without props or costume changes. He continued to make these occasional recitals until his final public performance on 15 March 1870. [2]

Patrick Stewart first became influenced by the story during the production of his 1986 film Lady Jane . In a break between filming, he discovered that he had read all the newspapers and magazines he had available in his hotel. However, it had a small library available to guests. Stewart picked up an old copy of A Christmas Carol, having realised that while he was familiar with the story, he had never read it. He compared the major theme of redemption in the story to those he had previously seen in the works of William Shakespeare. [3]

Production

Stewart began developing an adaptation of the story to be performed in a one-man show. The then-three-hour performance was only performed in public at the parish church in Mirfield, West Yorkshire in support of their church organ restoration. It wasn't until during the production of the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation two years later that Stewart began to work on re-developing it into a shorter but still full-length solo performance. [3] [4] He took his work to Professor Albert Hutter, a Dickens scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles, for reassurance that he hadn't made any mistakes in his adaptation. His first performance was in Hutter's home in front of around 18 people, and he found the response encouraging. [3]

During the course of the play, Stewart acts as more than 30 characters. [3] Out of all of them, he found the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come the most difficult, saying that, as written, "he's a pointing hand and little else". [3] There are no props or costume changes, although he tried using a glass of water as a prop in a single performance. [5] Stewart compared the overall experience of performing A Christmas Carol to a roller coaster and a merry-go-round at the same time because of the pace of it. He added that "Technically, vocally, and physically, it's very demanding, because I'm on my feet a lot", [3] requiring him to train for physical fitness in order to be able to deliver the performance on a repeated basis. [3]

He performed the play at Caltech's Beckman Auditorium during several Christmas seasons. Stewart then took the play to New York City in 1991 for 16 performances. The success of that run resulted in him receiving the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show and a further run in the city during 1992 for 24 more performances. [5] This also led to Stewart and A Christmas Carol being featured on the front cover of Starlog , typically a science fiction magazine, due to the actor's links to The Next Generation. [6] In 1993, the production toured during December, and Stewart performed at several locations including the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and in London at the Old Vic Theatre. [7] [8] He returned to New York in 1994 and again in 2001 with a further eight performances at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, the takings of which all went to a charity such as Actors Fund of America, the Coalition for the Homeless, and Food for Survival, Inc. [9] [10] A further run of 23 performances at the Old Vic occurred in 2005, replacing the poorly received Ducktastic which had been due to run until the following year. [8] [9] [10] Yet another New York run in 2019 followed.

Reception

Following the start of the initial New York run in 1991, Mel Gussow wrote for The New York Times that Stewart's one-man version restored A Christmas Carol to the original "full narrative splendor" as well as showing both the humour and humanity present. [11] Stewart's performance was compared to the original Dickens recitals, and the reviewer said that it made them want to see the actor perform other Dickens classics too. [11] Nancy Churnin reviewed the play for the Los Angeles Times in 1993, saying that Stewart was "able to fill the stage all the more richly with his own penetrating and versatile voice, his mastery of gesture, and facial expressions that instantly summon fear, delight, longing, and awe." [7] He added that the actor's performance prevented Ebenezer Scrooge from being seen as a "caricature" but instead as an "Everyman whose sins are present in most of us to varying degrees." [7]

Critics reviewing the 2005 run in London at the Albery Theater included Maxie Szalwinska for the Metro , who said that the play was "a reminder that you don't need angel-voiced choirs, a cute Tiny Tim hobbling around on crutches or lashings of fake snow and tinsel to make a satisfying Christmas show. The most important ingredient is a cracking story, well told." She praised the performance and added that it made her want to read more Dickens instead of watching television over the festive season. [12] Lyn Gardner, while writing for The Guardian , praised the usage of the original text and said that Stewart's means of saying the classic "Bah humbug" line was "sheer brilliance". [13] She said that the storytelling was "nicely done" and that Stewart showed Scrooge as a man "who has constructed a prison of loneliness and erected bars around his own heart". [13]

Awards

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> 1843 novella by Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. In the process, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebenezer Scrooge</span> Fictional character in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Ebenezer Scrooge is a fictional character and the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 short novel, A Christmas Carol. Initially a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas, his redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world.

<i>Scrooge</i> (1970 film) 1970 film by Ronald Neame

Scrooge is a 1970 musical film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 story A Christmas Carol. It was filmed in London between January and May 1970 and directed by Ronald Neame, and starred Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge. The film's score was composed by Leslie Bricusse and arranged and conducted by Ian Fraser.

<i>The Muppet Christmas Carol</i> 1992 film directed by Brian Henson

The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American Christmas musical film directed by Brian Henson from a screenplay by Jerry Juhl. It is the fourth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Adapted from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the film stars Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, alongside Muppet performers Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, and Frank Oz. Although artistic license is taken to suit the aesthetic of the Muppets, The Muppet Christmas Carol otherwise follows Dickens's original story closely. It is the first Muppet film to be produced following the deaths of Muppets creator Jim Henson and performer Richard Hunt; the film is dedicated to both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Rees</span> Welsh actor (1944–2015)

Roger Rees was a Welsh actor and director, widely known for his stage work. He won an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for his performance as the lead in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. He also received Obie Awards for his role in The End of the Day and as co-director of Peter and the Starcatcher. Rees was posthumously inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in November 2015.

<i>Scrooge</i> (1951 film) 1951 film by Brian Desmond Hurst

Scrooge is a 1951 British Christmas fantasy drama film and an adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843). It stars Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, and was produced and directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, with a screenplay by Noel Langley. It also features Kathleen Harrison, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, Mervyn Johns, Clifford Mollison, Jack Warner, Ernest Thesiger and Patrick Macnee. Michael Hordern plays Marley's ghost and the older Jacob Marley. Peter Bull narrates portions of Charles Dickens' words at the beginning and end of the film, and appears on-screen as a businessman.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (1938 film) 1938 American Christmas film directed by Edwin L. Marin

A Christmas Carol is a 1938 American drama film adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella of the same name, starring Reginald Owen as Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve after visitations by three spirits. The film was directed by Edwin L. Marin from a script by Hugo Butler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Marley</span> Ghost in A Christmas Carol (1843)

Jacob Marley is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. Marley has been dead for seven years, and was a former business partner of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, the novella's protagonist. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by Marley's ghost, who wanders the Earth entwined by heavy chains and money boxes forged during a lifetime of greed and selfishness. Marley tells Scrooge that he has a single chance of redemption to avoid the same fate: he will be visited by three spirits, in the hope that he will mend his ways; otherwise, he will be cursed to carry much heavier chains of his own.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (1999 film) 1999 British-American television film by David Jones

A Christmas Carol is a 1999 British-American made-for-television film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol that was first televised December 5, 1999, on TNT. It was directed by David Jones and stars Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge and Richard E. Grant as Bob Cratchit.

Tiny Tim (<i>A Christmas Carol</i>) Fictional character from Dickens novella "A Christmas Carol"

Tiny Tim Cratchit is a fictional character from the 1843 novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Although seen only briefly, he is a major character, and serves as an important symbol of the consequences of the protagonist's choices.

Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge is a musical comedy written by Christopher Durang, a parody of the Charles Dickens 1843 novel A Christmas Carol. Durang was commissioned by Pittsburgh City Theatre Artistic Director Tracy Brigden to write a Christmas comedy. The show premiered November 7, 2002 at the City Theatre with Kristine Nielsen in the title role.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (2009 film) Film by Robert Zemeckis

Disney's A Christmas Carol is a 2009 American animated Christmas dark fantasy film produced, written for the screen and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Zemeckis' ImageMovers Digital, and released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is based on Charles Dickens's 1843 novel A Christmas Carol. The film was animated through the process of motion capture, a technique used in ImageMovers' previous animated films including The Polar Express (2004), Monster House (2006), and Beowulf (2007), and stars the voices of Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn and Cary Elwes. It is Disney's third adaptation of the novel, following Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) and The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992).

Adaptations of <i>A Christmas Carol</i> Works based on Charles Dickenss 1843 novella

A Christmas Carol, the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens (1812–1870), is one of the English author's best-known works. It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy miser who hates Christmas, but is transformed into a caring, kindly person through the visitations of four ghosts. The classic work has been dramatised and adapted countless times for virtually every medium and performance genre, and new versions appear regularly.

<i>Scrooge</i> (1935 film) 1935 British fantasy film directed by Henry Edwards

Scrooge is a 1935 British Christmas fantasy film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Seymour Hicks, Donald Calthrop and Robert Cochran. The film was released by Twickenham Film Studios and has since entered the public domain. It was the first sound film of feature length to adapt the Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, and it was the second cinematic adaptation of the story to use sound, following a now-lost 1928 short subject adaptation of the story. Hicks stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, the skinflint who hates Christmas and is visited by a succession of ghosts on Christmas Eve. Hicks had previously played the role of Scrooge on the stage regularly, starting in 1901, and in a 1913 British silent film version.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (musical) American stage musical

A Christmas Carol is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens. The musical is based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella of the same name. The show was presented annually at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden from December 1, 1994, to December 27, 2003.

<i>Kelly Clarksons Cautionary Christmas Music Tale</i> American TV series or program

Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale is a 2013 Christmas television special produced by Done and Dusted for NBC. Directed by Hamish Hamilton, it stars Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, William Shatner, Jay Leno, Matt Lauer, Danica Patrick, Heidi Klum, Ken Jeong, Jai Rodriguez and Morgan Bastin. It is a musical comedy pastiche loosely based on Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol where Clarkson's character learns the true meaning of Christmas, accompanied by the music of her sixth studio album Wrapped in Red.

A Queer Carol is a 1999 theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic novel A Christmas Carol retold in a gay perspective, written by Joe Godfrey. It work-shopped in Buffalo in December 1999 before later premiering in Manhattan in December 2001, and the rest of the United States over the years. A Queer Carol is the first queer adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

<i>The Right to Be Happy</i> 1916 film

The Right to Be Happy is an American silent film from 1916 that draws inspiration from Charles Dickens' 1843 Novella, A Christmas Carol. This film was Universal's first attempt at making a Feature film based on Dickens' novella. Throughout the silent era, it stood as the first and only feature film adaptation of A Christmas Carol by an American or foreign film company. The movie was directed by Rupert Julian and supported by a cast of Universal Bluebird players, including Rupert Julian, Claire McDowell, and Harry Carter.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (TV series) 2019 British television drama series

A Christmas Carol is a 2019 British dark fantasy drama miniseries based on the 1843 novella by Charles Dickens. The three-part series is written by Steven Knight with Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott among the executive producers. It began airing on BBC One in the U.K. on 22 December 2019 and concluded two days later on 24 December 2019. Prior to this, it aired in the U.S. on FX on 19 December 2019, with all three episodes shown consecutively as a single television film.

<i>A Christmas Carol</i> (2017 play) 2017 play by Jack Thorne based on Charles Dickens novella

A Christmas Carol is a play by Jack Thorne based on the 1843 novella of the same name by Charles Dickens. The adaptation was written for The Old Vic in London where it premiered for the Christmas 2017 season and has returned every year since due to popular demand. It has also performed on Broadway, on a US tour and in Melbourne.

References

  1. ↑ "This Day in History". History.com. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  2. ↑ Francis, Clive (5 December 2012). "Ten things you never knew about Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stephens, Lynne (January 1992). "A Captain's Carol". Starlog (174): 25–29.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Kevin (29 December 1993). "The final frontier: Kevin Jackson talks to Patrick Stewart, better known as commander of the Starship Enterprise, about his Christmas Carol at the Old Vic" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 2015-12-10. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  5. 1 2 Stephens, Lynne (January 1993). "Captain's Holiday". Starlog: 35–39.
  6. ↑ McDonnell, David (25 October 2015). "Starlog Cover Circle Blues". StarTrek.com. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Churnin, Nancy (11 December 1993). "THEATER REVIEW : The Power of One : Patrick Stewart's dramatic reading of 'A Christmas Carol' doesn't rely on makeup, costume changes, a backdrop or much in the way of props to fill the stage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  8. 1 2 Nathan, John (15 November 2005). "Patrick Stewart to Bring A Christmas Carol Back to London Stage". Playbill. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  9. 1 2 Simonson, Robert (17 November 2001). "Patrick Stewart Returns to Broadway with One-Man A Christmas Carol, Dec. 24–30". Playbill. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  10. 1 2 Lefkowitz, David (29 December 2001). "Last Chance: Stewart's Solo Christmas Carol Leaves Marquis, Dec. 30". Playbill. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  11. 1 2 Gussow, Mel (20 December 1991). "Review/Theater; Scrooge, Ghosts, Tiny Tim and Patrick Stewart". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  12. ↑ Szalwinska, Maxie (13 December 2005). "Stewart makes Dickens the star". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 21 May 2006. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  13. 1 2 Gardner, Lyn (8 December 2005). "A Christmas Carol". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Patrick Stewart's life before Star Trek". BBC News. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "The Laurence Olivier Awards: Full List of Winners, 1976–2008" (PDF). The Society of London Theatre. 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "2007 Results". WhatsOnStage.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.