Charles Dickens

Christmas Carol

A

” & ½ stars”- Kate Rose, Sunday Herald Sun (2005)

Performs

DICKENS PAST AND PRESENTDuring the last 16 years of his life, Charles Dickens gave 444 readings of his works in Great Britain, the United States and Europe, to deafening acclaim. His and the public’s favorite was A Christmas Carol. The Times called it “a happy blending of the narrative & dramatic style.”

Dickens acted the part of each and every character with – as the Cambridge Independent Press said in 1859 – “a different voice, a different style, a different face”. The Portland (Maine) Transcript observed that the author “to an extraordinary extent assumes the personality of each.”

Women and men wept openly during his performances, 3000-strong audiences roared with laughter and worthy outcomes were greeted with thunderous cheering and the boisterous waving of hats and handkerchiefs.Now, in Charles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol, we can once again see the great narrator (played by Phil Zachariah) present his uproariously funny, profoundly moving story of redemption; of a soul saved & a life made good.

This theatrical treat was created with the assistance of Dickens’ own prompt copy, including directions in the author’s handwriting, & numerous contemporary accounts. This production defies expectations; “I admit I was hesitant to see a solo reading... However, within minutes of starting, every member of the audience was transfixed.” (Anne-Marie Peard, AussieTheatre.com) “Zachariah becomes Dickens and does not so much read A Christmas Carol as become the story.” (Kate Rose, Sunday Herald Sun).

PRODUCTION HISTORY 2003-2008There have been seasons of Charles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol every December since 2003, when it was staged by community theatre company En Route Productions in Melbourne. The final performance of that season, on the 150th anniversary of Dickens’ first reading, received a standing ovation. The White Hat Tours review said: “A real find in a suburban hall, with Phil Zachariah’s performance a remarkable achievement. Our rating - 4 hats”

Since 2003, the production has continued to play to full houses and acclaim. It opened the Coffs Harbour Spring On Stage Festival by invitation in September 2004, and in 2005 the production toured regional Victoria and NSW. This time, the Sunday Herald Sun’s Kate Rose gave it 4½ stars (see attached review). In 2006, it travelled to the Mildura Arts Centre before a three day sell-out season at the Carlton Courthouse. In December 2007, Charles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol again played to sold-out houses, both at the Knox Community Arts Centre and as part of the Official Arts Centre Famous Spiegeltent Family program, and took $20 000 in a week at the box office. We also had the privilege of being the first ever production at the new Southern Peninsula Art Centre.

In 2008 we continued playing to full houses at the Spiegeltent and accross metro Melbourne as well as completing a 17 venue tour of regional Victoria and Tasmania.

“...grab this unforgettable production for next December and allow it to be seen by many more people.” -- Anne-Marie Peard, AussieTheatre.com (2006)

EAGLE’S NEST THEATREEagle’s Nest Theatre is dedicated to producing the work of professional independent artists and bringing high quality theatre to a range of new audiences. The Company specializes in original interpretations of Classics, works by new Australian authors, site-specific productions and touring productions.

The company’s shows to date include Hamlet, Oedipus, Buyback (Kathleen Mary Fallon) Charles Dickens Performs: A Christmas Carol, The Birds (Aristophanes), Play Dead (Amanda Mihakalopolous), Macbeth, 1984 Up Late (adapted for stage from the George Orwell novel), An Actor Prepares (James Adler) and Coming Soon . . . The End (Adrian D’aprano). The Crucible(Arthur Miller), Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth

With performances of these shows in theatres and schools across Melbourne, Victoria and NSW, including La Mama, SPAC, KAC, CCC, MPAC, Theatreworks, Gasworks, Trades Hall, The Famous Spiegeltent and the Arts Centre. Eagle’s Nest is rapidly becoming one of Melbourne’s best known independent theatre companies and a major promoter of emerging Australian artists.

Among the artistic team of Eagle’s Nest Theatre are international artists and artists from Australia’s leading performing arts schools including the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), the Victorian College of Arts (VCA), the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and the National Theatre Drama School (NTDS).

KEY ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIESPHIL ZACHARIAH Phil began in applied physics, but eventually made the logical transition to theatre. When he graduated from the National Theatre in Melbourne in ‘79, he was already working in theatre-in-education; writing, acting, composing & directing. In the 80s, he also performed with the Victoria State Opera Schools Tour, Ars Nova early music group, and as a storyteller with the Folkloric Theatre Company. Later, he spent 3 years in an astronomy show with the CSIRO Double Helix touring troupe. In recent years, he’s appeared in a swag of independent productions, including Sleuth (as Andrew Wyke), Freedom of the City (The Judge) and Hamlet (Claudius in 2005 & Polonius in 2007). In 2005 he was heard as George Bernard Shaw in Shaw: The Music Critic for 3MBS, and as both Shaw & John Ruskin in a series on critics for the Sunday Arts program on Radio National. When young, Phil & his brother were taken by their mother to see the great Emlyn Williams present the Dickens Readings. After Phil became theatrically entangled, his mother, a great fan of Dickens, suggested that he should perform them. Many years later, with James Adler as the logical choice as director, her vision has been realised.

JAMES ADLERJames has been practicing full time in almost every aspect of theatre since 2000. He has co-founded three community arts organizations and is currently the Artistic Director of Eagle’s Nest Theatre and one of Melbourne most prolific producers. He began performing as a high school student during school. After recent years he has enjoyed the opportunity to play Skinner in The Freedom of the City, Marat in Marat/Sade and Hamlet. He has also co-authored 3 plays which have been performed, and authored An Actor Prepares and With the Dark and an Adaptation of 1984. An Actor Prepares has been performed in both Australia and GermanyHis first position as a director was in 1998 when he tackled Mutter Courage und Ihre Kinder (in German). Since then he has directed 12 productions, including original works, fringe festival productions and classics. Highlights include Venus In Furs, Sleuth, Tryptichon, Too Dark A Pink (Fairfax theatre) and 1984 Up Late, Play Dead and of course Charles Dickens performs a Christmas Carol.

James Adler - Artistic Director

REVIEWS

AussieTheatre.comREVIEWED BY ANNE-MARIE PEARD, 17/12/06

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through The Courthouse There was room for no more- not even a mouse. The people had gathered for a great Christmas tale Zachariah’s Dickens proved too good to fail.

The Eagle’s Nest Theatre’s production of Charles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol should be on everyone’s holiday list next year.

I admit I was hesitant to see a solo reading of a clichéd tale. However I stand totally corrected and could not have been more wrong. The night was as perfect as Mrs Cratchett’s pudding.

Hopefully this crowd may be brave enough to return to the Courthouse to see more independent productions, and hopefully, the venues that this crowd usually visit will grab this unforgettable production for next December and allow it to be seen by many more people.

Over 150 years ago Charles Dickens gave solo readings of his own works. Accounts of the time attest that they were theatrical events with Dickens performing every role to perfection. Under thestrong direction of James Adler, Phil Zachariah has channelled the spirit of Dickens and created one of the most engaging, powerful and suspenseful nights of theatrical story telling.

The audience were not the usual La Mama/Courthouse crowd. These were people who wanted to see this play and this story. When I arrived, there were already disappointed people being turned away. Those who made it in were more used to the comfort of The Arts Centre and quite disturbed by the crowded and hot Courthouse. However within five minutes of starting, every member of the audience was transfixed.

This was due to the outstanding performance of Zachariah, and the outstanding writing of Dickens. There is a reason this is one of the most re-told tales. The original story is filled with surprises and complexities that are missing from most modern versions. It’s so much more than a parable about the value of people over money. Scrooge is forced to see his on life from an outside perspective. This is, of course, an irresistible yet terrifying prospect. Dickens tells us that own lives and experiences contain the answer to all our questions– if we look in the right places.

”...one of the most engaging

, powerful and supenseful

nights of theatrical story tel

ling.”- AussieTheatre.com (2006)

REVIEWSAustralian Stage OnlineREVIEWED BY BRIONY KIDD, 18/12/07

Apparently Dickens was not content to be merelya bestselling author but was quite a decent actoras well. In several hundred performances duringhis lifetime he toured the country doing energeticreadings of his novels that were really performances;doing all the voices and generally making a mealof it. Phil Zachariah recreates Dickens’ telling ofA Christmas Carol, using the condensed text thatDickens used and even referring back to the author’shandwritten notes on the original prompt copy.At the very least, this show offers Dickens fans aunique historical insight.

The Famous Spiegeltent is an ideal setting for this;you can almost imagine you’re in a tent at somerural fairground in the 19th century. The audiencewhen I saw the show seemed a little too respectful,as though in a museum (perhaps a musical interludeto warm everyone up a bit might help?). In fact,Zachariah has superb projection and, like Dickenshimself, would be more than capable of keeping anunruly audience under control. The crowd shouldbe laughing, clapping and cheering as the moodtakes them (I can almost see them echoing backthe famous lines, Rocky Horror style). They shouldbe overexcited because it’s strong stuff – even inthis context, where all you actually see is a mandressed in a suit, with a book as his only prop. AChristmas Carol is packed with pathos, funny voicesand supernatural surprises, all skilfully blended intoone of the most gloriously sentimental stories everwritten.

Much of A Christmas Carol is about having a goodtime; not selfishly but wholeheartedly, as though it’sactually a duty to do so. When Ebenezer Scroogeis taken back to see his Christmases past eachepisode is more poignant than the last – the lonelychild with no one to play with, the prideful youngman who breaks off his engagement without asecond thought – but, in Zachariah’s telling of itat least, there’s none more touching than that ofthe shindig given by Scrooge’s boss, Mr Fezziwig.Nothing at all remarkable happens. There’s justdrinking and laughing and merrymaking: as theGhost of Christmas Past remarks, “A small matter tomake these silly folks so full of gratitude”. Scrooge,watching the celebration with his ghostly guide,remembers it vividly now that he is reminded.How could he have ever forgotten such wonders?The description of Fezziwig‘s joyous dancing, andZachariah’s very physical recreation of it here, seemsmiraculous indeed. In effect, this is a scene abouta selfish man being deeply moved, transformedeven, by the memory of his old boss making a foolof himself at the office Christmas party. It’s brilliantstuff.

What is A Christmas Carol but a celebration of theordinary, and of the potential for greatness that liesdormant within us all, even the most hardhearted

and misanthropic? I defy anyone to see this production and remain a Christmas cynic. How could you say “bah humbug”, after you’ve seen Zachariahdo Scrooge’s marvellously rusty laugh during the closing scenes? Scrooge almost cuts himself shaving, explains Dickens, because he’s jumping up and down with glee – and why? Nothing has changed, except Scrooge himself. He appreciates being alive. Phil Zachariah gives a flawless performance as Dickens and the other characters, particularly Scrooge and Bob Cratchit. Director James Adler’s interpretation leans more towards comedy thansome adaptations, with even characters like Scrooge’s nephew becoming eccentric creations, but there’s enough suspense to be had from Scrooge’s interactions with the ghosts to keep the tone varied. The approach seems right. After all, perhaps Dickens’ greatest gift was the ability to draw out the humanity of his characters through humour, compelling us to care all the more when they are touched by tragedy. This is a show that deserves to be seen at Christmas and enjoyed in the spirit that Dickens intended.

”...a remarkable achievement.Our rating , 4 hats”

- WhiteHat.com (2003)

REVIEWSMeap Careers WebsightREVIEWED BY KIM EDWARDS, 19/12/07

Towards the end of Charles Dickens’ monumental literary career, he took to travelling from city to city, performing dramatic readings of his greatest works.Dickens threw himself into the readings with such vigour and passion that his medical advisors quite rightly feared for his health. But the public performances were wildly popular and audiences would sit enraptured as he recreated his characters from Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, and most famously, A Christmas Carol in its entirety.

This solo show at the Spiegeltent was a lovely evocation of these original public readings. Phil Zachariah in the role of Dickens was masterful – he began demurely enough with his little hard-bound book behind a lectern (indeed, I found the delivery of the famous opening line disappointing), but soon had his crowd enthralled.The author originally gave dramatic readings (which ran up to three hours long!) but this neat adaptation at an hour and twenty is a real performance: Zachariah displays a remarkable memory and talent for recall, for he has learnt the text by heart.

Thus, the ‘reading’ swiftly becomes a beautifully directed theatre piece, as Zachariah bounds from his lectern and takes over the stage. His subsequent physical characterisation of the whole Christmas Carol cast is voices

excellent, though unfortunately some of the comic he utilised obscured important dialogue, and at other times, poor diction meant occasional key words were missed.

However, the overall effect was enchanting: wizened Scrooge and his remarkable journey, the enigmatic three ghosts, loveable Bob Cratchit and wistful Tiny Tim were all skilfully portrayed (some of the transitions from one to another were superb, such as the exit down an aisle as Bob and the return as Scrooge). The level of energy and enthusiasm Zachariah brought to the script (where there is no time to rest) was contagious. He sang, he danced, he capered out into the audience and shook people’s hands when Scrooge saw the error of his ways – he showed great sensitivity for the light and shade of the text; and managed the swift turns from comedy to pathos with aplomb.

Keep your eye out for further performances from this gentleman – he kept an audience of young families, special needs visitors, and jaded theatre critics entertained with nothing but some great blocking, his own remarkable acting, and one magical little book.

Charles Dickens Performs: A Christmas Carol played at The Famous Spiegeltent, Melbourne in December 2007.

SUNDAY HERALD SUN REVIEW, 18/12/05

“...in the same ball park [as Miri

am Margolyes’

Dickens’ Women].”- Cameron Woodhead,

The Age (2007)

REVIEWSThe Spiegeltent, Melbourne; General Performance. REVIEW BY LAURA HAMILTON.

Sunday, November 2, 2008.

Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas CarolUntil November 16. Bookings: 1300 136 166.This production tells Dickens’ story in a way I imagine is close to how he would have wanted it told, staying true to the traditional English way of performance.

Conveying a tale about the values of money versus humanity, Phil Zachariah is Charles Dickens, alone on stage for 2 hours as he enlightens us with a lively, animated interpretation of Dickens’ famous Christmas Carol story. In embodying Dickens, it is obvious Zachariah has done plenty of period characters throughout his acting career – he completely looks and sounds as if he belongs in the year 1840. In what is a massive undertaking for one actor, what Zachariah does best is personify a storyteller. With hardly any props or set, the challenge is obvious, and his changes in vocal intonation and physical embodiment meant he was incredibly successful in creating the illusion, the image; a very important factor in this type of show.

The Spiegeltent is an ideal venue for hosting a show with such traditional beginnings. It made it easier to imagine the creation of this production – I could see Dickens’ reading his own prose to an adoring audience of all ages in a quaint cabaret-type venue. At times this production had me slightly restless, but I think that is more a result of the action-packed, a-scene-a-minute type theatre that we are increasingly presented with in the industry. James Adler’s production of A Christmas Carol challenges the audience to rely on nothing but the script and the actor, and that’s certainly not a bad thing.

I really enjoyed seeing such an old story told to a packed out, thoroughly modern mix of audience members ranging in age from 6 to 86 – proving that so

may years on, Dickens’s appeal still remains widely varied.

Arts Hub REVIEW BY BELINDA BURNS Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Four o’clock on a hot, sultry Melbourne afternoon is hardly the time or the climate for a reading of Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. Perhaps if it had been a cold wintry evening, I’d have been in a better mood for the delights that lay in store as we filed into the Spielgeltent. But all preoccupation quickly dissipated under the spellbinding performance of Phil Zachariah as Charles Dickens, resplendent in beard, three-piece suit and gold waist-chain.

In this wholesome yet electrifying reading of A Christmas Carol, fully memorised by Zachariah, every word has import, every scene authentically conjured, every character summonsed with zeal such is the power and joyous range of the performance. Zachariah masters them all, from Scrooge’s hunch-backed miserliness through to the three spirits of Christmas past, present and yet to come. Every minute is a treat, as Zachariah dances and moans and grimaces and laughs and most of all, thoroughly entertains his way about the small stage.

Perhaps his best embodiment is as Dickens himself, who on the 27 December 1853 gave his first public performance of A Christmas Carol to riotous acclaim. As remarked of the original Dickens in the Cambridge Independent Press (1859), every single character had “a different voice, a different style, a different face” – and this can certainly be said of Zachariah in the year 2008.

Direction by James Alder, Artistic Director of Eagle’s Nest Theatre, is as superb as Zachariah’s performance is mesmerizing. To Alder’s credit, the one and a half hours seems to slip away, as if I’m transported into another time, another place. Dickens’ journey is our journey and Alder achieves this suspension of disbelief by unique depiction of character and a richness of movement. Indeed, the production feels very much like a partnership between Zachariah and the rangy Alder, who is seen stalking, top hat and Dickensian beard to boot about the Spiegeltent before and after the show.

Having played since 2004 (initially presented by Dancing with Strangers Theatre company and now with Eagle’s Nest) Charles Dickens Performs: A Christmas Carol is a highly polished and transforming theatrical experience. Moreover, Zachariah, with Alder, seem almost to channel the spirit of Dickens himself to deliver the full colour, intent, nuance and moral of the great writer’s words. A perfect way to escape a hot Melbourne afternoon, full of laughs, tenderness, a few spectral frights and an ageless lesson for living.

Charles Dickens Performs: A Christmas Carol at the Spiegeltent Melbourne.

TOURING DETAILS

Production can be adapted to fit any venue (50-1000 seats). Normally production requires Min: 24 lamps, 24 dimmers Basic in-house sound system (In venue larger than 400 seat or with poor acoustics a lapel mic is required) Min: 4m x 6m stage, 3m min stage to grid height. * Min lighting rig only requires 2 push up lighting trees, 8 x par 56, 2 H-stands, 1 x 150w flood, leads and 4 pack controller. We can provide this lighting on negotiation

Bump in min time: Bump-in and perform a matinee (NB: Lighting must be fully pre-rigged)Crewing As well as having lighting pre-rigged, 2 general crew members will be required for lighting and set bump in and 1 will be required for bump out. An operator will also be required during the show.Total hours 2 x 4h bump in,1 x 1 x 1 hours bump out *It is possible for our team to rig the lighting and perform the same day on negotiation.

Publicity MaterialsWe provide press kits including, media releases, company bios and information, production photos and transparencies and cast photos. We can also provide a TVC as well as raw artwork for programs, handbills and posters with images for presenters’ own use in subscription brochures, own posters etc. Posters, handbills, programs and Bromides for press ads can be provided on negotiation. Production credits need to include Actor, Director and Designers, as well as Eagle’s Nest Theatre.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Product NameCharles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol

ProducerEagle’s Nest Theatre James Adler – 0423 339 431 Fax 03 9384 6900James@eaglesnesttheatre.com

CreatorsDirected by James Adler

Cast Members Phil Zachariah

Target Audiences General public, families, groups with a particularinterest in literature, drama students, and all age groups from 8 – 99.

Touring party Total 2 - 1 Actor, 1Tech/SM. + Director to do a site visit for first performances in major venues

Flexibility We are happy to discuss one off performances as well as longer runs

Availability 2009-2010

Costs $7000 per week (max 8 shows)$1750 per show $2500 one full evening performance and one matinee on the same day%10 Royalties

* Transport/truck hire is paid by the presenter

* Accommodation and per diems are to be paid by the presenter if your venue is more than 150 km from Melbourne

NB: Under certain circumstances it is also possible to negotiate the performances on a risk share/door split arrangement

Performance Duration 115 min including 20 min interval75 min performance without interval also available if required.

No of Performances Max 2 performance per day (8 per week).