New tour of A Christmas Carol returns to original venues where Dickens performed

A new production of A Christmas Carol will tour to historic UK venues this December.

Described as an “authentic adaptation” of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, the production from European Arts Company will star John O’Connor (Before We Die, Channel 4), as Dickens.

The tour includes places where Dickens himself performed the classic festive ghost story such as the beautiful Music Room of Brighton Pavilion (1861) and The Halls in Norwich (1859). The show is also returning to Greenwich Theatre for the fifth successive year, just 100 metres from where Dickens read A Christmas Carol to Greenwich Literary Institution in 1866.

Few people know that Charles Dickens originally wanted to be an actor and A Christmas Carol was the first public performance he gave of his work.  After opening night, he said the success was most wonderful and prodigious – perfectly overwhelming and astounding altogether! 

Dickens enacted the work over 150 times and the effect on the public was phenomenal; he had a magnetic stage presence, riveting eyes, expressive voice, and wonderful powers of characterisation.  Remarkably, Dickens made more money from his readings than from all his novels and stories put together.  
 
This exciting production, adapted from Dickens’s own public reading scripts and eyewitness accounts of him on stage, recreates the spirit of his original performances.

O’Connor says: “I’m delighted to be coming back to these venues with A Christmas Carol. Dickens himself performed the story all over the UK and America and it’s wonderful to follow in his legendary footsteps. The show was a sell-out success when we last performed and the audience reaction was delightful. There will be laughs, tears and plenty of Christmas cheer.”

Supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital, which Dickens helped to found, A Christmas Carol was directed by the late Peter Craze, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. This was the last show he directed, and the production is dedicated to his memory.

For more information, tour dates and tickets, visit europeanarts.co.uk