Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes this version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL different from the others?
This is A CHRISTMAS CAROL as Charles Dickens wrote it and originally intended for it to be experienced. Adapter Paul Morella always found it ironic that what makes this version so unique is the fact that it is so true to the original manuscript. A lot of productions claim to be faithful to the original story, but this IS the original story – the text is exactly 99.5% from the novella – in Dickens’ own words (of the 12,984 words in the adaptation, only 65 are not from the original). It’s unlike any production audiences may have seen, and it restores the beautiful simplicity of the original narrative.
Q: It’s a One-Person Show?
Yes, it’s a one-person show, but not in a conventional sense. A little-known fact is that Dickens actually wrote the story to be presented by a solo performer. The words were meant to be spoken aloud, and the narration itself has an urgency and an immediacy that perfectly align with the story-telling dynamic. There is a great theatricality in Dickens’ prose - unforgettable characters, descriptive language, vibrant imagery, and vivid encounters practically leap off the page - and the first-person narrative style is perfectly suited to the solo performer format.
Q; How does it work with one person?
Through an interactive and experiential combination of story-telling and theatre. As the narrator, the actor serves as a sort of guide, leading the audience into a magical world rich with character, atmosphere, and action – like a tale told around a Christmas fire. It’s a pop-up book come to life.
Q: Is it a “reading” of the original story?
Not at all. The story is not “read” but rather spontaneously “experienced” from memory and shared directly with the audience. It is the closest we can come to Dickens in his public performances, in which he filled the stage with his talent and passion for the story.
Q: So the actor is playing Charles Dickens?
No. If anything, the actor plays a Dickensian version of themself. The intention is to bring the story to life as Dickens himself might have done, but they don’t become Charles Dickens. If anything, they seek to channel the spirit and brilliance of Dickens’ story and characters rather than conjure any sort of impersonation or impression. This helps to strip away any theatrical artifice and keeps the story fresh, resonant, and immediate.
Q; Why should I see this version instead of any other stage or film version?
This is A CHRISTMAS CAROL as Charles Dickens meant you to experience it. It was written to be performed – narrated in the first-person – which gives it the dynamic of unfolding in the moment, in real time. A sort of experiential storytelling. There is also a wonderful musicality to the language that many contemporary productions “dumb down” for mass appeal. The show asks something of you, as the audience, to help create the full picture of the story being told on stage. It’s not hard work. In fact, as the show goes on, it becomes the kind of ephemeral, magical experience that only live performance in an intimate 150-seat theatre can deliver.
Q: This will be the show’s 15th year at Olney; how does the production change from year to year?
Obviously, the most significant change this year is that we’ll have a different actor escorting us through Dickens’ literary world. Michael Russotto will bring something new and unique to this adaptation, which Paul Morella has adapted and refined over the prior 14 years. The brilliance of Dickens’ language and the timelessness of the story transcend the generations that separate us from his Victorian milieu. Those familiar with Paul’s performances over the years will recognize subtle and perhaps, not-so-subtle differences between the two actors’ portrayals. But it is our intention to deliver the most faithful version possible of the show that Paul created. But as Paul himself would tell you, the show changes every year – and as is the case with all live theatre, in small ways from performance to performance. If it is your first time seeing this particular adaptation, you’re in for a treat. If you’re a returning attendee, you may find that the same story feels entirely new. We’ll definitely want to hear what both segments of our audience think.
Q: How long is the show?
The running time is about two hours, including one 15-minute intermission. This adaptation is somewhere between the version Dickens presented on his reading tour and the full text.
Q: How many characters does the actor portray?
Just over 50 – 51, to be exact – from the miserly Scrooge to the haunting spirits to the entire Cratchit family. Of course, the narrator leads the way – like the guide on a ghost tour – and every character is fully inhabited in ways that are funny, scary, touching and joyous.
Q: What can I expect when I enter the theatre?
You can expect to be welcomed into the theater as if entering the home of a close friend. It’s all very informal, personal and intimate.
Q: Is it for children, as well as adults?
Because it is Dickens, some of the passages can be a bit intense, so we would recommend it for ages 10 and above. It is, after all, “a ghost story,” and like all ghost stories, there can be a few scary moments. However, the darker passages eventually give way to a more radiant light. As Dickens himself wrote in his preface: “May it haunt their houses pleasantly.”
Q: Are there production values, such as a set, lights and sound?
Absolutely. There is a wonderful set that captures the warmth of a lived-in Victorian parlor, accentuated by a varied lighting scheme, sound effects, and a scary, funny and inspired soundscape that is both realistic and otherworldly. At times, even various set pieces morph into props for different scenes. It is both cinematic and theatrical, abstract and realistic.
Q: Is there anything else the audience should know?
This is a theatrical adventure that includes rich descriptive language, colorful characters, and wonderfully dramatic encounters. It’s like a roller coaster ride with peaks, valleys, twists, and turns. The real star is Dickens himself, and Paul’s original hope was that the audience wouldl have as much fun in experiencing the story as he did in presenting it. The prose and the characters are inhabited with such a lively spirit that, once encountered, it will forever influence the way the story is perceived. You may enter the theater trying to wrap your mind around how the story “works” in this one-person format, but when you leave, you won’t be able to imagine it presented any other way. It’s a gift from Dickens himself, and we believe the best Christmas present a theatre lover could ask for. There truly is nothing else like it.
Happy Holidays – and we look forward to “visiting” with you soon!
