Dickensblog

Neil Gaiman in 'A Christmas Carol'

The acclaimed novelist will do a dramatic reading of Dickens's story on two nights, December 18 and 19, at New York City's Town Hall. Go here to learn more, and later this week, you can go here for tickets!

Thirty years of 'A Christmas Carol'

Gerald Dickens is celebrating a milestone anniversary -- he's been performing his great-great-grandfather's A Christmas Carol for 30 years now! In a new interview, he tells the Powys County Times why this work translates so well to the stage.

Christopher Eccleston to star in West End 'Christmas Carol'

The former Doctor Who star, who also played Fagin in the recent British series Dodger, will play Scrooge this winter in the London production of Jack Thorne's A Christmas Carol stage adaptation. Go here for more details!

'A Christmas Carol' earns three Tony nominations

This was the Jefferson Mays one-man Christmas Carol that ran on Broadway from November 2022 to January 2023. Congratulations to Dane Laffrey and Lucy Mackinnon, nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Play; Joshua D. Reid, nominated for Best Sound Design of a Play; and Ben Stanton, nominated for Best Lighting Design of a Play! The full list of nominations is here.

Rehearsal footage from Encores' 'Oliver!'

Playbill's YouTube channel has shared rehearsal clips of "Where Is Love?" and "Consider Yourself" from the upcoming New York City Center production, embedded below. And BroadwayWorld has photos from the rehearsal. The cast, led by Benjamin Pajak as Oliver and Julian Lerner as the Artful Dodger, looks great, and I envy you lucky people who get to see this onstage!

 

Casting announced for Encores' 'Oliver!'

The upcoming Encores! production, which will run May 3-14 at New York City Center, will star Lilli Cooper as Nancy, Raúl Esparza as Fagin, Tam Mutu as Bill Sikes, Brad Oscar as Mr. Bumble, Benjamin Pajak as Oliver Twist, and Mary Testa as Widow Corney. More information on the production and on where to purchase tickets is available here. Thanks to Rachel McMillan for the tip!

Dickens on British TV

Acclaimed actress Miriam Margolyes is not a fan of Christmas, but she is famously a fan of Dickens. So she "has agreed to see if she can warm to the season through her love of Charles Dickens," in a Channel 4 special called "Miriam's Dickensian Christmas." The special airs Tuesday night, and Margolyes talks about it here. Lucinda Dickens Hawksley also worked on the special, and she discusses it here.

In other British television news, Mark Gatiss's filmed stage production of A Christmas Carol, which was recently in cinemas, will air on BBC Four (and BBC iPlayer) on Christmas Day.

Virtual live performance of 'The Haunted Man'

Today at 7:30 p.m. GMT (2:30 p.m. Eastern), the Dickens Museum will stream a live performance of The Haunted Man by actor James Swanton. There's still time to buy a ticket! (If you can't watch live, you can request a recorded link when you purchase your ticket.)

'Oliver Twist' audio drama released

Sam Mendes's new audio drama Oliver Twist is now available on Audible, and if you have a membership, it's free! The cast includes Brian Cox as Fagin, Daniel Kaluuya as Bill Sikes, Nicola Coughlan as Nancy, Emilio Villa Muhammad as Oliver, and Elijah Wolf as the Artful Dodger. Go here to read more about the production, which includes sound effects recorded at Dickens's own home, now the Dickens Museum. And go here to listen!

Mark Gatiss's 'Christmas Carol' comes to movie theaters

A filmed version of last year's London production of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Mark Gatiss and starring Gatiss and Nicholas Farrell, is coming to movie theaters tomorrow! Go here to find out if this international limited run will be anywhere near you!