A Christmas Carol (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Charles Dickens.

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Seitenzahl: 75

Beschreibung

Charles Dickens' timeless classic, brought to life in a joyous new adaptation by Jack Thorne. On a bitter Christmas Eve night a cold-hearted miser is visited by four ghosts. Transported to worlds past, present and future, Ebenezer Scrooge witnesses what a lifetime of fear and selfishness has led to, and sees with fresh eyes the lonely life he has built for himself. Can Ebenezer be saved before it's too late? Jack Thorne's adaptation of A Christmas Carol is premiered at the Old Vic, London, in November 2017.

Leseprobe

Charles Dickens

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

adapted for the stage by

Jack Thorne

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Dedication

Characters

A Christmas Carol

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

This version of A Christmas Carol was first performed at The Old Vic, London, on 20 November 2017, with the following cast:

EBENEZER SCROOGE

Rhys Ifans

LITTLE FAN

Melissa Allan

YOUNG EBENEZER/GEORGE

Jamie Cameron

BOB CRATCHIT

John Dagleish

BELLE

Erin Doherty

FERDY

Oliver Evans

NICHOLAS

Tim van Eyken

FATHER/MARLEY

Alex Gaumond

JESS

Siena Kelly

FRED

Eugene McCoy

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST

Myra McFadyen

MRS CRATCHIT

Maria Omakinwa

FEZZIWIG

Alastair Parker

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT / MRS FEZZIWIG

Golda Rosheuvel

TINY TIM

Toby Eden

Grace Fincham

Ethan Quinn

Lenny Rush

MUSICIANS

Will Stuart

Martin Robertson

Steve Bentley-Klein

Justin Pearson

Director

Matthew Warchus

Set and Costume

Rob Howell

Composer and Arranger

Christopher Nightingale

Lighting

Hugh Vanstone

Sound

Simon Baker

Casting

Jessica Ronane CDG

Movement

Lizzi Gee

Musical Director

Will Stuart

Voice

Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth

Associate Director

Jamie Manton

Associate Set

Ben Davies

Associate Costume

Irene Bohan

Associate Sound

Jay Jones

The production was revived at The Old Vic in 2018, 2019, 2020 (online), 2021, 2022 and 2023, and received new productions at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, and the Lyceum Theatre, New York, in 2019.

For Frank

Characters

EBENEZER SCROOGE

BOB CRATCHIT

NARRATOR, played by multiple members of the company

FRED, Scrooge’s nephew

MARLEY

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST

FATHER

FERDY

YOUNG EBENEZER

LITTLE FAN

FEZZIWIG

BELLE

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT

TINY TIM

MRS CRATCHIT

JESS

GEORGE

NICHOLAS

All other parts should be played by members of the company.

ACT ONE

Scene One

The COMPANY gathers. It speaks as one. The NARRATOR is played by the entire company, with the cast speaking sometimes in unison, sometimes solo, but creating yuletide amongst them.

NARRATOR. Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the chief mourner. Marley was dead as a doornail.

Did Scrooge know he was dead? Of course. How could it be otherwise? Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully upset by the sad event, indeed on the very day of the funeral he marked Marley’s passing with an undoubted bargain.

Money begins to fall from the COMPANY’s pockets, disappearing into the stage as a counting room is built.

And within the counting room sits EBENEZER SCROOGE, old before his time and bent by years of his own neglect – seemingly oblivious to the company around him.

Scrooge never painted out Old Marley’s name. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: ‘Scrooge and Marley’. He did not even mind what debtors called him – Scrooge or Marley – he’d answer to both. It was all the same to him. It was all money.

For Scrooge was a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner. Secret and self-contained and solitary as an oyster.

SCROOGE sits at his desk and scrutinises his ledger, looking at it with deep intensity.

Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, ‘My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?’ No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life enquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways. But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep a distance.

CAROL SINGERS. God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember, Christ, our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day

SCROOGE tries to stay concentrated on his work, but he’s clearly irritated by the noise.

To save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray Oh tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy

SCROOGE (giving up). Oh Christ.

CAROL SINGERS. Oh tidings of comfort and joy

SCROOGE. Not tonight there’s not.

CAROL SINGERS. God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay

SCROOGE. You dismay me.

CAROL SINGERS. Remember, Christ, our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day To save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray

SCROOGE. Right that’s enough.

CAROL SINGERS. Oh tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy

SCROOGE stalks towards the door, full of anger.

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

In Bethlehem…

SCROOGE wrenches open his door.

SCROOGE. Go. Go.

CAROL SINGER (spoken). But, sir, we only seek…

SCROOGE. Seek it elsewhere.

He slams the door in their faces. The CAROL SINGERS remain outside the door, he inside.

CAROL SINGER. But there are thousands in want, sir. Surely, at this charitable time of the year, you could spare us something.

SCROOGE. Many thousands in want you say.

CAROL SINGER. Yes, sir.

SCROOGE. Are there no prisons?

CAROL SINGER. Well, yes, plenty of prisons.

SCROOGE. And the Union workhouses? Are they still in operation?

CAROL SINGER. They are. Still. I wish I could say they were not.

SCROOGE. The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour then?

CAROL SINGER. Sir, you seem to misunderstand me. A few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth.

SCROOGE thinks.

SCROOGE. I help only to support the establishments I have mentioned – they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.

CAROL SINGER. But, sir, many can’t go there; and many would rather die.

SCROOGE. If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.

CAROL SINGER. You cannot mean so…

SCROOGE. It’s enough for a man to understand his own business and not to interfere with other people. Mine occupies me constantly. Good evening, sir.

The CAROL SINGERS, slightly daunted, walk away, singing.

CAROL SINGERS. God bless ye merry –

SCROOGE. Bob. BOB.

He rings a bell. BOB CRATCHIT, whose cowed demeanour can’t disguise his natural optimism, appears at speed.

I need those singing creatures kept away from my door.

BOB. But it is Christmas, sir.

SCROOGE. Is that cause for trespass?

BOB. They do not come inside the property, sir, they do not trespass.

SCROOGE. They trespass on my time. Keep them away.

BOB. Maybe – if we both refrained from answering the door.

SCROOGE. But what if it is a man paying his debts? No, you must answer the door. Just don’t let the singing creatures inside.

He looks at BOB.

You hesitate?

BOB. No, sir.

Beat.

It’s late, sir – and I am due home, you see, it is Christmas Eve and my children –

SCROOGE. It is late and late is when the singing creatures come. Come, man, you can stay longer.

BOB. Yes, sir.

BOB exits. SCROOGE turns back to his work.

Scene Two

There is a knock upon the door.

SCROOGE. Bob. BOB.

BOB. Yes, sir.

BOB hurries to the door and opens it. He smiles when he sees who is on the other side, Scrooge’s nephew, FRED, a thoughtful and rather delightful individual.

FRED. Ah, Bob. Merry Christmas. A merry Christmas, Uncle. God save you.

SCROOGE. Bah. Humbug.

FRED. Christmas, a humbug, Uncle. You don’t mean that.

SCROOGE. Bob, I believe I told you to keep revellers out.

BOB. Not family – this is your nephew, sir.

FRED. Ignore him, Bob, and get off home.

SCROOGE. You will not! You will stay here!

BOB. Yes, sir.

SCROOGE looks at FRED. And then at BOB.

BOB exits and SCROOGE turns his venom onto his nephew.

SCROOGE. Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough.

FRED. I could equally reply what right have you to be dismal? Morose? You’re rich enough.

SCROOGE. What’s Christmastime but a time for paying bills without money, a time for finding yourself a year older, and not an hour richer?

FRED. Christmastime is a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time –

SCROOGE. Charitable.

FRED. – and the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

SCROOGE. And if they are creatures?

FRED. Don’t be angry, Uncle, come dine with us tomorrow.

SCROOGE. I’m busy tomorrow.

FRED. There will be a place laid for you.

He exits.