Dickens Unplugged - Comedy Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
FIRST it was Shakespeare, now it’s the turn of Charles Dickens to get the Adam Long treatment in Dickens Unplugged, a new musical comedy that receives its West End premiere at the Comedy Theatre on June 9, 2008 (previews from May 23).
Dickens Unplugged was commissioned in 2006 and premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe the following year. It was written and directed by Long, a founder member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company who co-wrote, directed and performed in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) which became London’s longest-running comedy after a ten-year run at the Criterion Theatre.
Dickens Unplugged takes a light-hearted look at Dicken’s life as well as many of his well known and much loved characters – Oliver Twist, Tiny Tim, David Copperfield, Miss Havisham and Charles Darnay, for example.
Instruments such as acoustic guitar, accordian, harmonica and horns provide a wide variety of musical styles; while Long’s 20 original songs include Aint Goin Back to Blackin and Far Far Better Thing.
Dickens is considered one of the English language’s greatest writers, with works that include The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. He was also a vigorous social campaigner.
Many of his works have already been adapted for stage – in 1963, Pickwick starred Harry Secombe in the title role; last year, Daniel Weyman was Nicholas Nickleby both at Chichester and in the West End; in 2005/06, Tommy Steele portrayed the miserly Scrooge at the London Palladium; and a revival of Oliver! with Rowan Atkinson as Fagin is scheduled for the New Year.
Dickens Unplugged, which began touring in February, is designed by Lez Brotherston, with lighting by John Clark. And the cast includes Adam Long, Joseph Attenborough, Matthew Hendrickson, Simon Jermond and Gabriel Vick.
The double bill – The Lover and The Collection – continues at the Comedy Theatre until May 3, 2008.
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