As the season of mistletoe and wine looms large, Ben Fitzgerald thumbs a lift with the ghost of Christmas-yet-to-come to see what’s on offer at Didcot’s Cornerstone Arts Centre.
It doesn’t get more Christmas-esque than Dickens’ tale of past, present and future.
Although Old Scrooge is painted as the villain of the piece, I can’t help feeling a flicker of sympathy for the old goat.
So… he refuses to shell out his hard-earned cash for the charity chuggers who come knocking at his door - well we’ve all been there haven’t we?
Just because you’re wearing an ill-fitting top with ‘collection for the ill children’ printed on it doesn’t mean that your fiver is going to lift anyone out of poverty.
Surely it is enough that he is providing the means for people to help through providing steady employment? The cash that he stores in his counting house will surely trickle down to the lowest rungs in society at some point?
Let market forces solve all of society’s ills I say, after all, it’s worked wonderfully so far hasn’t it?
Make your own mind up with a double helping of Christmas Carol pudding at the Didcot Cornerstone Arts Centre this month.
A Christmas Carol was a huge hit when it was published in 1843 at a time when the telling of ghost stories during the festive period was in vogue - and it came at a time when Victorians were debating the ills of society, the role of religion and morality.
It was the first public reading Charles Dickens gave of his own work. He enacted it over 150 times and the effect on the public was phenomenal.
On December 14, you can experience what it must have been like to be in the audience when the European Arts Company faithfully recreates Dickens’ famous performance of his best loved and most heart-warming story.
Or if you are looking for something a little different, you might want to see what is being described as a ‘feast of festive foolery’ by the Living Spit Theatre Company.
See Howard Coggins’ unique take on the eponymous anti-hero of Dickens’ festive masterpiece. He is joined on stage by Stu Mcloughlin who plays all of the other parts. Join the pair for silly songs, pitiful puppetry and Dickensian daftness.
A Christmas Carol by the European Arts Company is staged on Wednesday 14 December at 7pm. Tickets £15.
Living Spit presents A Christmas Carol is on Monday 19 December at 7:30pm Tickets £15.
For details see - www.cornerstone-arts.org