As you may know the Theatre by the Lake is staging ‘A Christmas Carol’ this year, but Threlkeld is providing an alternative… possibly the real story of the Dickens favourite? This play, written by and starring Peter Macqueen, is an alternative take on the story from Scrooge’s perspective.
‘Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.’ “Oh no he wasn’t! Dead? Humbug, Mr.Dickens! As sure as the moths in my wardrobe have be-shredded my best nightcap, Marley was not dead but rather sitting on some sun-soaked beach squandering all the hard-earned money that he had so fraudulently embezzled from my firm over the years! Dead? Bah! You know nothing Mr.Dickens! YOU are a fraud sir – an embezzler of the truth! A fake news-smith! A charlatan… Charlatan Dickens! Bah!”
In this revelatory exclusive, Ebenezer Scrooge opens his Diary to expose the awful truth about Tiny Tim, the Fezziwigs, Jacob Marley… and that disgustingly jolly, gluttonous, consumer- driven Ghost of Christmas Present… as he reveals the real story behind a Christmas Carol and the vengeful, slanderous, upstart author of that novel.
Peter Macqueen said about the play; “Two of the best Christmases of my life were in 1992 and 2008, playing Scrooge, at the Library Theatre, Manchester and the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick. No need for pretence or excuses about my unseasonal mood, I had the perfect excuse to behave like I felt – I was playing Scrooge!
“My last stint as the heroic skinflint also saw me extend my misanthropy to a much wider audience as I started to write a weekly diary column in the local newspaper, The Keswick Reminder. The column was of course written in Scrooge’s own style and everything and everyone was fair game for his miserable, damning and acerbic pen… and yes I did actually use a pen! Recently, I decided it was time to revisit the character of my soulmate. Only this time I have allowed him to tell his own ‘Carol’; to put his side of the story; to put the literary record straight. So here it is…”
This entertaining play with some audience interaction is at Threlkeld Village Hall on Friday 6th December at 7:30pm. Tickets £10 (£5 under 18s) from Threlkeld Village Hall Coffee Shop or on-line at www.threlkeldvillagehall.org/whats-on. Bar and Box Office from 7pm. Mulled wine and mince pies at the interval. Box Office enquiries 07733 790308.
Why not ruin someone’s Christmas and buy them a ticket as an early Present!
