Showing results for "Charles Dickens" in Drama & Plays

In Dombey and Son, Charles Dickens unfolds a gripping tale that originally captivated readers through serialized installments from October 1846 to April 1848, initially titled Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation. This poignant narrative follows Paul Dombey, a stern businessman fixated on ensuring that his newborn son will carry on the family legacy while completely disregarding his daughter, Florence. As tragedy befalls the family and Florences situation grows increasingly dire, Mr. Dombeys relentless determination leads to heart-wrenching ...

In this captivating tale, we follow the journey of Nicholas Nickleby, a spirited nineteen-year-old from Devonshire deeply devoted to his family, especially his sister Kate. After the death of their father leaves them destitute, Nicholas and Kate venture to London to seek help from their unscrupulous uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Reluctantly, Ralph secures Nicholas a position at Dotheby Hall, a grim school run by the cruel Mr. and Mrs. Wackford Squeers. Disturbed by the mistreatment of the schools children, Nicholas bravely rebels and escapes with Smike, a devoted young man who has become his friend. ...

Welcome to Charles Dickens Ghost Stories read by Sir David Suchet.We’ll be sharing a selection of the great author’s most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music.We’ll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man’s ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors…Plus, a very special festive gift: Dickens’s most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol.Hit follow for new episodes ...

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens. The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the final novel by Charles Dickens. The novel was left unfinished at the time of Dickens' death, and readers have often speculated what the ending might have been. The novel is named after Edwin Drood, but it mostly tells the story of his uncle, a Jekyll-and-Hyde-esque choirmaster named John Jasper, who is in love with his pupil, Rosa Bud. Miss Bud is Drood's fiancée, and has caught the eye of the high-spirited and hot-tempered Neville Landless, who comes from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) with his twin sister, Helena, ...

An exhilarating epic featuring the award winning Antaeus Company (Los Angeles' Classical Theater Ensemble) with 16 actors portraying more than 50 characters. London in the 1830s, the most colorful and chaotic city in the world, and young journalist Charles Dickens is uncovering a dark conspiracy of arson and murder. A fanciful look at the man before he became the iconic author we know today.

One of Charles Dickens's most personally resonant novels, Little Dorrit speaks across the centuries to the modern audience. Its depiction of shady financiers and banking collapses seems uncannily topical, as does Dickens's compassionate admiration for Amy Dorrit, the "child of the Marshalsea," as she struggles to hold her family together in the face of neglect, irresponsibility, and ruin. Intricate in its plotting, the novel also satirizes the cumbersome machinery of government.

Here's Dicken's Christmas classic of Ebenezer Scrooge and his encounter with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Originally published in 1843,A Christmas Carol has continued to be one of the most popular and enduring Christmas stories of all time. Click here to see all the titles...

Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens left school to work in a factory after his father was thrown into debtors' prison. Although he had ...

Dive into Charles Dickens final and unfinished masterpiece, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. A captivating tale entwined with suspense, love, and rivalry, it follows the enigmatic choirmaster John Jasper. Tortured by his illicit love for his student, Rosa Bud, who is engaged to his nephew Edwin Drood, Jasper reveals a sinister side. Adding to the intrigue is the fiery Neville Landless, who hails from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and vies for Rosas affection, causing a rift with Drood. Although Jasper seems the likely culprit behind the mysterious circumstances, Dickens untimely death leaves it ...

A wayside tavern where the local men drink and gossip; an unsolved, twenty year old murder at a nearby mansion; a very talkative black raven; a London locksmith and his family; a man apparently returned from the dead; a hangman who enjoys his job way too much; an anti-Catholic lord; a large and violent mob; and the British Militia—what do all these things have in common? All have, in some way, touched or been touched by the lovable, young, simple-minded “idiot,” Barnaby Rudge.Barnaby’s good nature makes him a joy to most who know him. Unfortunately, his eagerness to please and his ...

Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens left school to work in a factory after his father was thrown into debtors' prison. Although he had ...

The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is a cold-hearted man of business and has little time for the good humor and charity of the Christmas season. But that's about to change. A visit from his deceased business partner sets in motion a night in which Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Will his listen to their messages? Will he heed their warnings? Ebenezer Scrooge is about to take a Christmas journey that he won't soon forget.

Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of House to Let, a captivating short story first published in 1858 in the Christmas edition of Charles Dickens magazine, Household Words. This unique narrative, a collective effort of various contributors each penning a chapter, was skillfully edited by Dickens himself. The tale follows an elderly woman, Sophonisba, who becomes intrigued by signs of life in a seemingly abandoned, run-down house across the street. Aided by her lovestruck admirer, Jabez Jarber, and loyal servant, Trottle, she sets out on a fascinating journey to uncover the secrets hidden...

The Chancery Court had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including administration of estates, the guardianship of orphans, and disputed property disbursement. In Dickens’ time, some cases could take years to be settled, changing the lives of those involved.Esther Summerson, a young woman raised in a tough and unloving atmosphere, is unexpectedly requested to be a companion to two teenage orphans, Richard Carstone and Ada Clare, for whom the court has appointed as guardian, John Jarndyce. They take up residence at Mr. Jarndyce’s home, Bleak House. The story of their lives and ...

Our Mutual Friend, the last novel completed by Charles Dickens, has many plots, twists and turns, from the murky river Thames to the gold and crystal on the tables of ‘Society’. A tale of murder, treachery, jealousy and love, takes us first to a rowing boat on the Thames, where the Hexhams have found a body in the water and are bringing it to shore. We attend the Boffins, a poor naïve couple, who unexpectedly have just become wealthy, after their employer dies and names them in his will. Silas Wegg becomes their ‘literary man’ and John Rokesmith, a mysterious man, becomes their ...

Abridged, full-cast drama version of Dickens' classic tale of the French Revolution. Starring Ronald Colman.

Step into the whimsical world of Charles Dickens before he became a celebrated novelist! In this delightful 1836 play, originally dubbed “A Comic Burletta in Two Acts,” chaos reigns at The St. James Arms, a quaint village inn where a cast of colorful characters collides in a series of amusing misunderstandings. Join us for a journey filled with laughter and intrigue, as narrated by ToddHW and brought to life by a talented ensemble.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of London and its picturesque excursions to Devon, Yorkshire, and Portsmouth, this tale follows the remarkable journey of Nicholas Nickleby. As he grapples with the challenges of unwelcome employment to support his widowed mother and sister, Nicholas faces the mercenary machinations of his uncle, Ralph. Through a series of captivating adventures, he ultimately strives for triumph over his uncle, though his victory is bittersweet. (Summary by Chris Garbett)

Old Martin Chuzzlewit is a wealthy man, yet his fortune has only brought him unhappiness. Estranged from his grandson, he finds himself in a precarious situation when news of his illness spreads, attracting a host of relatives he can’t stand—each eager to claim a slice of his wealth. Among them is his sycophantic cousin, Seth Pecksniff, who is all too willing to take advantage of Martins vulnerability by keeping other relatives at bay. Will this opportunist be the one who inherits Martin’s riches, or is there a deeper scheme at play? This captivating narrative weaves together treachery, ...

Oliver Twist is the well-loved tale of an orphan, who starts life in a workhouse and finds himself embroiled in London's criminal underworld, before being saved by a kind gentleman who knows something of his surprising family history. A satire and social commentary as well as a page-turning yarn, full of grit, wit, and some of the most memorable characters in English Literature. The second published serialised novel by Charles Dickens, The British Library remarks that "it has proven to be one of the best-loved novels in the history of literature".