some photos…
…courtesy of Jon Clark, our illustrious lighting designer.
the ballad of charlie dickens
mr warren’s blacking factory
the great man himself
press and reviews from guildford…
British Theatre Guide (review)
Daily Telegraph (feature)
Independent (feature)
Here’s the review from the Surrey Advertiser -
ONE of the many surprises at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre this week is the discovery that Charles Dickens and his creations spoke with American accents.
Dickens Unplugged is the brainchild of Adam Long and its five actors from California call themselves “the biggest CD Tribute Band in Santa Cruz”. A more accurate description would be “Five go adventuring and discover treasure.” As does the audience which enjoys nearly two hours of inspired and surreal silliness.
Starting with an Oliver Twist owing more to Lionel Bart than Charles Dickens we are treated to a musical journey through several books punctuated by snippets from the master’s life, beginning with his work in boot blacking “made by real children” and ending with his death “I’m going home now to have a stroke”.
Bleak House and Great Expectations are despatched in 30 seconds rapid rap while Christmas Carol is given the full treatment with Tiny Tim’s crutch doubling as an electric guitar.
There’s a wonderful scene in which a self-righteous Dickens gives his wife her marching orders and she manages to encapsulate all the resentments of 18 years of less than perfect marriage into one short blistering diatribe.
There’s folk, there’s country and western, there’s rap and harmony. It’s all delivered at breakneck speed. The ladies have trim beards and large feet and Madame Guillotine delivers surprised looking heads into a large basket.
It’s all tremendous fun and Charles Dickens would have loved it. Destined for the West End but you can catch it at the Yvonne Arnaud until tomorrow (Saturday).
Margaret Burgess
programme for guildford
yvonne arnaud theatre, guildford 14-23 feb 2008
Cast:
Joseph Attenborough
Matthew Hendrickson
Simon Jermond
Gabriel Vick
Director/Writer:
Producer:
Casting Director/Script Editor:
Alex Jackson-Long
Designer:
Lez Brotherston
Lighting Design:
Music Arrangements by the company
Costume Supervisor:
Polly Laurence
Production Manager:
Igor
Company Manager:
Ben Heaf
Deputy Stage Manager:
Marion Auer
Assistant Stage Manager:
Simon Wilcock
Wardrobe Mistresses:
Geri Spencer
Mia Walden
Costumes supplied by Angels The Costumiers
Associate Producer:
General Managers:
Press Officer:
websites: www.dickensunplugged.com
hope to see you in guildford…
charles dickens action figure!!!
Introducing the CHARLES DICKENS ACTION FIGURE…
’This 5-inch tall Charles Dickens action figure is made of hard vinyl and comes with a quill pen and a removable hat!’
People who bought this item also bought:
Jane Austen action figure
Oscar Wilde action figure
Vincent Van Gogh action figure (with interchangeable heads – with and without ear!)
edinburgh programme
okay folks, here’s a programme for DICKENS UNPLUGGED at the Edinburgh Festival…
ASSEMBLY ROOMS, BALLROOM
2-27 August 2007, 12:15 pm
Writer/Director – Adam Long
Producer – Mark Goucher
Cast – (in alphabetical order) Luke Evans, Matthew Hendrickson, Simon Jermond, Bryan Torfeh, Gabriel Vick
Script Editor/Casting Director - Alex Jackson-Long
Company Manager – Suu Wernham
Deputy Stage Manager – Holly Handel
Assistant Stage Manager – Thyra Covell
Props – Chris Marcus and Jonathan Hall at Marcus Hall Props
Costumes – Sue Lardner and Cathy Marchant-Olympios
Lighting Design – Paul Lamont
Scenic Artist – Brett at Visualscene
For Mark Goucher Ltd. - Jonathan Russell (General Manager), Tim Mascall (Production Manager), Elizabeth Kaye (General Manager), Bonnie Royal (Marketing Manager), Chloe Pritchard-Gordon (Press Officer).
And, of course, special thanks to CHARLES DICKENS for being the greatest writer in the history of the universe….
