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Charles Dickens’ timeless story is brought to life in this vibrant new version by the award-winning playwright Neil Duffield.
Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year! Well, it is for everyone except the miserable Scrooge. He prefers to spend Christmas all alone in his large house, instead of celebrating with mistletoe and merriment. Bah, humbug!
But one cold, dark Christmas Eve Scrooge is surprised by the ghost of Marley, his former business partner. Marley warns Scrooge that he will be called upon by three spirits – each will take him on a mysterious and magical journey to show him the error of his ways…
Can Scrooge discover the true wonder and meaning of Christmas before it’s too late?
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Seitenzahl: 79
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016
Neil has written more than fifty plays which have been produced extensively throughout Britain and abroad. His play The Lost Warrior, commissioned by The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster, won the 2006 Arts Council of England Award ‘for work which displays excellence, inspiration and innovation in children’s theatre’.
Other recent productions include: The Ugly Duckling (Sheffield Crucible and Nottingham Playhouse 2007), Leopard (Sheffield Crucible 2007), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Dukes Theatre, Lancaster 2006), The Snow Queen (Watermill Theatre, Newbury 2006), The Firebird (Northumberland Theatre Company 2006), The Secret Garden (Helix Theatre, Dublin 2005), and The Emperor’s New Clothes (Midlands Arts Centre, 2005).
Neil is married to freelance theatre director Eileen Murphy and lives in Bolton.
The Octagon Theatre, Bolton
presents
A Christmas Carol
by
Charles Dickens
adapted by
Neil Duffield
AURORA METRO PRESS
First printed in 2007 by Aurora Metro Publications Ltd. Reprinted 2010.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Adaptation © copyright 2007 Neil Duffield
Cover photo © copyright 2007 Joel Chester-Fildes
With thanks to John Blackmore, Sally Boyd and Aidan Jenkins
Permission for the use of any copyright music mentioned in the text must be agreed in advance with the Performing Rights Society, Live Music Centre: 020 7580 5544.
Caution: All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved.
Application for a licence to present performances including professional, amateur, recitation, lecturing, public reading, broadcasting, television and translation into foreign languages should be applied for, before rehearsals begin, to:
Neil Duffield c/o [email protected]
In accordance with Section 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the author asserts his moral rights to be identified as the author of the above Work.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Printed by CPI Antony Rowe
Ebook conversion by Swift ProSys
ISBNs:
978-0-9551566-8-7 (Print version)
978-1-906582-74-6 (Ebook version)
by
Charles Dickens
adapted by
Neil Duffield
The play was commissioned by The Octagon Theatre, Bolton and received its world premiere performance on November 23rd, 2007.
Cast:
Rob Pickavance – Ebenezer Scrooge/Chorus 5
Simeon Truby – Jacob Marley/Robinson Crusoe/Mr Fezziwig/Ghost 2/Old Joe/Chorus 2
Tom Frere – Bob Cratchit/Ghost 1/Topper/Broker 1/Chorus 6
Dan Willis – Fred/Young Scrooge/Broker 2/Chorus 4
Sarah Groarke – Lady 1/Mrs Fezziwig/Mrs Cratchit/Beth/Charwoman/Chorus 3
Pam Jolley – Lady 2/Belle/Kathleen/Ghost 3/Chorus 1
Katie Ball – Tiny Tim
Jodie Pek – Tiny Tim
Emma Gray – Boy Scrooge/Boy
Rosie Steedman – Boy Scrooge/Boy
Roberta Gleaves – Little Fan/Martha/Urchin
Kathryn Noake – Little Fan/Martha/Urchin
Stephanie Jevons – Janet/Harry
Christie O’Connell – Janet/Harry
Jessica Ryan – Peter/Tom/Servant
Melissa Deacon – Peter/Tom/Servant
Conrad Nelson – Director (and Musical Director)
Dawn Allsopp – Designer
Jason Osterman – Lighting Designer
Andy Smith – Sound Designer
Beverley Edmunds – Choreographer
Characters:(can be performed by 4 male/2 female and several children)
Ebenezer Scrooge
Boy Scrooge
Young Scrooge
Jacob Marley
Ghost 1
Ghost 2
Ghost 3
Bob Cratchit
Mrs Cratchit
Peter
Janet
Martha
Tiny Tim
Belle
Mr Fezziwig
Mrs Fezziwig
Lady 1
Lady 2
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Urchin
Tom
Harry
Servant
Old Joe
Charwoman
Boy
Little Fan
Robinson Crusoe
Fred
Beth
Topper
Kathleen
Broker 1
Broker 2
Chorus 1
Chorus 2
Chorus 3
Chorus 4
Chorus 5
Chorus 6
SET: The set has two levels, upper and lower, linked by a huge chaotic heap of various items – safes, strong boxes, chains, locks, bolts, hinges, ledgers, files, cash-boxes, bundles of keys, furniture, plates, cutlery, bells, etc. And a piano. It’s as if the whole story and everything belonging to it has been tipped in a random pile.
It should be possible to use the pile as a staircase from the lower level to the upper. On the upper level stands Scrooge’s bed – a four poster with curtains. The lower level is used for all other locations. Somewhere there is a fireplace which provides the focus for various rooms.
CHORUS: The cast make up a cloaked chorus of carol singers and musicians who re-appear throughout the play. They should be able to slip quickly and easily between chorus and character. As chorus they have no individual identity, they are simply singers and storytellers.
PRE-SHOW: Ghostly music combined with various sound effects – clinking of metal, tinkling of bells and chimes, scraping, rattling and creaking.
Act One
Lights. Music. Chorus enter in lively and jolly mood, performing to the audience.
Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green Here we come a-wandering so fair to be seen(Refrain is sung as a round) Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail too (Love and joy come to you and to you your) And God bless you and send you (wassail too, and God send you) A happy New Year And God send you a happy New Year God bless the master of this house, the mistress also And all the little children that round the table go Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail too (Love and joy come to you and to you your) And God bless you and send you (wassail too, and God send you) A happy New Year And God send you a happy New Year Good master and good mistress, while you’re sitting by the fire Pray think of us poor children who are wand’ring in the mire Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail too (Love and joy come to you and to you your) And God bless you and send you (wassail too, and God send you) A happy New Year And God send you a happy New Year
Carol singing ends. Music underscores.
Imagine a city.
A city of giant factories and towering mills,
of cobbled streets echoing to the sound of horses’ hooves.
A city of rattling engines and thundering wheels.
Imagine a time.
A time before you were born,
before your grandparents were born,
a time of shoeless children and clattering clogs,
of blackened houses and candle-lit rooms,
of belching chimneys and pea-souper fogs.
Imagine a counting house –
an office,
a place of business,
a place of trade,
dim and dreary,
dusty and old,
uninviting,
gloomy and cold.
Under the dialogue the chorus lift props and furniture from the heap and set them up as Scrooge’s office.
Desks.
Ledgers.
Cashbooks.
Rules.
Pens.
Inkwells.
Candles.
Stools.
And above the door…
a faded sign.
A sign appears.
‘Scrooge and Marley’
Partners in business.
Partners in life.
Wait a minute… Isn’t Marley dead?
Long dead.
Dead as a door nail.
Dead as a door knocker.
Dead as a door mat.
No doubt about that.
Does Scrooge know?
Of course he knows.
How could he not?
He was chief mourner at the funeral.
The only mourner.
Then why hasn’t he had a new sign made?
Ah…
Or at least painted out Marley’s name?
You’d be excused for thinking it’s a mark of respect.
Incorrect.
Simply a matter of money.
Money is all that matters to Scrooge.
A new sign would cost.
And money spent
is money lost.
Chorus members help Chorus 5 out of his cloak.
Money
Squeezing
Money
Wrenching
Money
Clasping
Money
Scraping
Money
Clutching
Money
Grasping
Scrooge.
Chorus 5 becomes Scrooge. Rest of chorus retreat away from him
Tight-fisted old curmudgeon.
Grisling
grouching
grumbling
grousing
picking
pinching
pilfering
plundering
scrimping
scratching
sulking
skulking
sinful old sourpuss. Scrooge!
They greet him as passers-by in the street.
Good morning to you, sir.
Bah.
Fine weather we’re having, sir.
Bah.
A merry Christmas to you, sir.
Bah!!
They become beggars as Scrooge passes.
Spare a copper sir?
Not today!
Any loose change, sir?
Hear what I say!
Price of a cup of tea please sir?
Get out of my way!
A group of children chase each other across the stage, laughing and having fun. They accidentally bump into Scrooge.
Excuse me, sir!
Clumsy…
Very sorry sir!
tomfooling…
Begging your pardon sir!
dirty little guttersnipes!
The children chase each other off. Under the following dialogue, chorus members help Chorus 6 out his cloak. He becomes Bob Cratchit sitting at a desk in Scrooge’s office. He rubs his hands and blows on his fingers.
Cold never bothers Scrooge.
No fire warms his office,
no flicker in the grate.
His clerk, Bob Cratchit, has to tot up figures
in this freezing state.
But what does Scrooge care?
He pays no heed.
He enjoys his meanness,
revels in his greed.
Gruff
grunting
growling
Scrooge.
Surly
snarling
scowling
Scrooge!
Bitter as the biting wind of winter.
Scrooge.
Cratchit finally tries to warm his hands around the candle on his desk. Scrooge enters the office. Cratchit quickly covers up.
Good morning, Mr Scrooge, sir… And a very Merry Christmas.
Bah!
Scrooge sits at his desk, opens a huge ledger and starts writing. Chorus members look on as they briefly reprise the carol.
Love and joy come to you and to you your wassail too (Love and joy come to you and to you your)