The Mystery of Charles Dickens

THE MYSTERY OF CHARLES DICKENS

By Peter Ackroyd

Starring Simon Callow

Albery Theatre, London

This enchanting one man show has elements of lecture and acted recitation. Simon Callow masterfully tells the life of England's most famous novelist, interspersed with scenes hilarious and tragic from works like The Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist.

Peter Ackroyd the playwright is also the author of a mammoth biography of Dickens. He portrays Dickens's very unsettled and then deprived childhood, having to work in the 'blacking factory' while his father was in the debtors' prison. Young Charles drew on his astonishing gift of mimicry and memory to venture forth on his extraordinary literary labours. We are given a picture of a man restless, always on the go, spurred on by both his deep anger at the injustices of Victorian society and his own need for approval.

Though he had little time for the church (and Catholicism remained a pet hate), Dickens was a religious man, saying his prayers both morning and night. Many of his novels especially the Christmas books, explore Christian themes. But he rejected nay idea of God's wrath and original sin. His 'was a religion of natural love and moral feeling', with little concrete experience of redemption and free grace. It is unsurprising, therefore, that it never satisfied his soul.

Some say that Dickens' own characters killed him. His need to be loved by the public enticed him to embark on nationwide tours giving dramatic readings of his own works. These were a tremendous success, but eventually exhausted him. A man who more than any other invented the British Christmas, died a driven man at the age of 58. If you go to see this production, prepare to have your full range of emotional buttons pushed.

JEB