A Christmas Carol / by Michael Theodorou
adapted for the stage from the original by Charles Dickens

Cast in order of appearance:

READER 1, MR CHARLES DICKENS
READER 2, MRS CHARLES DICKENS
EBENEZER SCROOGE
NEPHEW - FRED
NEPHEW'S WIFE
HER SISTER
BOB CRATCHIT
MRS CRATCHIT
MARTHA CRATCHIT
PETER CRATCHIT
TINY TIM
CHARITABLE PERSON I
CHARITABLE PERSON 2
CHARITABLE PERSON 3
GHOST OF MARLEY
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
SCROOGE AS A CHILD
FANNY, SCROOGE'S SISTER
OLD FEZZIWIG, SCROOGE'S OLD EMPLOYER
DICK WILKINS, SCROOGE'S OLD FRIEND
NELL, SCROOGE'S FIANCEE
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT
DRINKER 1
DRINKER 2
DRINKER 3
MERCHANT 1
MERCHANT 2
MERCHANT 3
LAUNDRESS
CHARWOMAN
UNDERTAKER
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE
BOY

The cast as shown is for: 24 males and 9 females.
Many of these parts could be played by women, though - see suggestions below, making up to 22 female parts.
If fewer cast needed, some parts could be doubled.

The play is a simply staged adaptation of the original well-known story. Certain characters could be female rather than male, if desired - especially The Charitable People, Merchants, Boy, the Drinkers at a pinch - and even the Ghosts [except Marley], if required. This makes a more attractive proposition for those schools with loads of keen girls and few boys.

The play runs at about forty-five minutes - longer if full carols are included. It would make a lovely end of Christmas term play or, because of its simple staging - perhaps part of a Christmas concert programme.

Sample Pages from the script

Extract 1

READER 1
Once upon a time - of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve - old Scrooge was busy at his counting-house. It was cold, bleak, biting weather - foggy withal - and he could hear the people in the court outside go wheezing up and down, beating their hands upon their breasts and stamping their feet upon the pavement-stones to warm them.

Sound effects of London.

READER 1
The city clocks had only just gone three, but it was quite dark already; it had not been light all day; and the candies were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air.
The fog came in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms. To see the dingy cloud come drooping down, obscuring everything, one might have thought that Nature lived hard by and was brewing on a large scale.

READER 2
The door of Scooge's counting-house was open. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn't replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coalbox in his own room.

Enter Nephew.

NEPHEW
A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!

SCROOGE
Bah! Humbug!

NEPHEW
Christmas a humbug, uncle? You don't mean that, I'm sure.

SCROOGE
I do. Merry Christmas? What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.

NEPHEW
Come then, what right have you to be so dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough.

SCROOGE
Bah! Humbug!

NEPHEW
Don't be cross, uncle.

SCROOGE
What else can I be when I live in such a world of fools as this? What's Christmas time to you but a time of paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in 'em, through a round dozen of months, presented dead against you? [indignantly.] If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!

NEPHEW
Uncle!

SCROOGE
Nephew, keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine.

NEPHEW
Keep it? But you don't keep it!

SCROOGE
Let me leave it alone then. Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!

NEPHEW
There are many things from which I have derived good, but by which I have not profited, I dare say - Christmas among the rest.

SCROOGE
What things? What good?

NEPHEW
I am sure I have always thought of Christmas as a good time - a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.

SCROOGE
contemptuously Charitable? Pleasant time?

NEPHEW
The only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely...

SCROOGE
Bah!

NEPHEW
... and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave and not another race of creatures.

SCROOGE
They are another race of creatures as far as I'm concerned!

NEPHEW
And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good - and I say, God bless it!

CRATCHIT
Bravo!

SCROOGE
to Cratchit Another sound from you, sir, and you'll keep your Christmas by losing your situation.

CRATCHIT
I am sorry, Mr Scrooge.

SCROOGE
I should hope so too, sir. Keep your head down over your books, sir!

CRATCHIT
Yes, Mr Scrooge.

SCROOGE
to Nephew And as for you, sir, you're quite a powerful speaker. I wonder you don't go into Parliament.

NEPHEW
Don't be angry, uncle. Come - dine with us tomorrow.

SCROOGE
I'd rather see you in Hell first!

NEPHEW
But why? Why?

SCROOGE
Why did you get married?

NEPHEW
Because I fell in love.

SCROOGE
contemptuously Because you fell in love!

NEPHEW
That's right. Because I fell in love.

SCROOGE
Don't tempt me to say any more, sir. [Turning his back on him.] Good afternoon!

NEPHEW
You never came to see me before that happened.

SCROOGE
I certainly did not.

NEPHEW
So why give it as a reason for not coming now?

SCROOGE
Good afternoon.

NEPHEW
I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you. Why cannot we befriends?

SCROOGE
Good afternoon.

NEPHEW
I am sorry with all my heart to find you so resolute.

SCROOGE
I said, Good afternoon!

NEPHEW
We have never had any quarrel.

SCROOGE
Quite right, sir, we have not.

NEPHEW
So then I'll keep my Christmas humour to the last. A Merry Christmas, uncle!

SCROOGE
shouting Good afternoon!

The Nephew walks out and immediately comes back in again.

NEPHEW
And a Happy New Year!

SCROOGE
roaring Good afternoon!!!

Extract 2

A clock strikes the quarters and then one o'clock. A blackout. Complete silence and then we hear spooky violin music. Lights come slowly up to reveal the Ghost of Christmas past - a strange figure, like a child.

SCROOGE
Are you a spirit?

CHRISTMAS PAST
I am.

SCROOGE
Are you the spirit whose coming was foretold me?

CHRISTMAS PAST
I am.

SCROOGE
Who and what are you?

CHRISTMAS PAST
I am the ghost of Christmas Past.

SCROOGE
Long past?

CHRISTMAS PAST
No. Your past.

SCROOGE
What business brings you here?

CHRISTMAS PAST
Your welfare.

SCROOGE
I am much obliged to you. But would not a night of unbroken rest have been more conducive to my welfare?

CHRISTMAS PAST
Rise! And walk with me!

Spooky violin music. Scrooge and Christmas Past revolve in slow motion. They stop.

CHRISTMAS PAST
pointing Look there!

SCROOGE
Good heavens! I was born in this place. I was a boy here.

CHRISTMAS PAST
Your lip is trembling. And what is that upon your cheek? A teardrop?

SCROOGE
Nothing! It is nothing. A pimple, nothing more!

CHRISTMAS PAST
You remember the way?

SCROOGE
Remember it? I could walk it blindfold.

CHRISTMAS PAST
Strange that you have forgotten it for so many years.

SCROOGE
My school.

We see Scrooge as a Child with a hook and a quill pen in his hand.

CHRISTMAS PAST
The school is not quite deserted. A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.

SCROOGE
I know. I remember.

CHILD SCROOGE
enthusiastically to Scrooge Do you remember Ali Baba? And the Sultan's groom turned upside down by the genii? And the parrot? Green body and yellow tail, with a thing like a lettuce growing out of the top of his head? And poor Robinson Crusoe when he came home again after sailing around the island?

SCROOGE
I remember. Of course I remember.

CHILD SCROOGE
'Robinson Crusoe, where have you been, Robinson Crusoe?' 'There goes Friday, running for his life to that little creek!' You remember?

SCROOGE
Of course I remember. But l wish...

CHILD SCROOGE
Yes?

SCROOGE
But it's too late now.

CHILD SCROOGE
What is the matter?

SCROOGE
Nothing. Nothing. There was a boy singing a Christmas carol at my door last night... I should like to have given him something, that's all.

CHILD SCROOGE
A boy like me?

SCROOGE
Yes, a boy like you. [Scrooge's facial expression suddenly goes hard again.] Enough! Enough! [Scrooge waves his arms and the child departs.] Let us see another Christmas!

Extract 3

CHARWOMAN
Every person has a right to take care of themselves. He always did.

UNDERTAKER
Why then, don't stand staring as if you was afraid, woman. Who's the wiser? We're not going to pick holes in each other's coats, are we?

LAUNDRESS
No, indeed. We should hope not.

CHARWOMAN
Who's the worse for the loss of a few things like these? Not a dead man, I suppose.

UNDERTAKER
No, indeed.

LAUNDRESS
If he wanted to keep'em after he was dead, why wasn't he natural in his lifetime?

CHARWOMAN
If he had been, he'd have had somebody to look after him when he was struck with death, instead of lying gasping out his last there, alone by himself.

UNDERTAKER
It's the truest word that ever was spoke. It's a Judgment-on him.

LAUNDRESS
I wish it was a heavier one. And it should have been, you may depend upon it, if I could have laid my hands on anything else.

CHARWOMAN
I know pretty well that we were helping ourselves before we met here. It's no sin.

UNDERTAKER
What do you call these?

LAUNDRESS
Bed curtains.

UNDERTAKER
You don't mean to say you took 'em down; rings and all, with him lying there?

LAUNDRESS
Yes, I do. Why not?

UNDERTAKER
You were meant to make vour fortune and you'll certainly do it.

CHARWOMAN
I certainly shan't hold my hand for the sake of such a man as he was, I promise you. Don't drop that oil upon the blankets now.

UNDERTAKER
His blankets?

CHARWOMAN
Who's else, do you think? He isn't likely to take cold without 'em, I dare say.

UNDERTAKER
I hope he didn't die of anything catching, eh?

LAUNDRESS
This is the end of it, you see. He frightened everyone away from him when he was alive, to profit us when he was dead!

They all cackle with laughter and go off.

Scrooge comes forward.

SCROOGE
Spirit! What is this? Is there not any person in the town who feels emotion because of this man's death?

The Phantom is silent.

SCROOGE
Spectre, tell me what man that was. The Phantom points at Scrooge.

SCROOGE
Where do you point?

PHANTOM
in a sinister whisper Scrooge. Ebenezer Scrooge!

SCROOGE
going down on his knees No, Spirit, no! No!... Spirit, hear me! I am not the man I was. ... Good Spirit, let your good nature intercede for me. Take pity on me! ... I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. ... I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me. ! I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. ... Give me your hand, good Spirit. Reverse my fate!

The Phantom moves slowly backwards and disappears.

SCROOGE
Do not leave me alone in the abyss of my despair. Let me live! Let me live in the forgiveness of my fellow man. ... I swear to keep Christmas in my heart and in my soul and never to wrong my fellow creatures, ever more. ... Oh do not turn from me. Release me from the chains that bind me. Jacob, old Jacob Marley! You, at least, take pity on me! Take pity on my soul!

READER 1
He was so flustered and glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer to his need. He had been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit and his face was wet with tears.

READER 2
Running to the window, he opened it and put out his head. No fog. No mist. Clear, bright, jovial, stirring cold: cold, piping for the blood to dance to. Golden sunlight! Heavenly sky! Sweet fresh air! Merry bells! Oh, glorious, glorious!

A Young Boy [ or Girl ] walks by.

SCROOGE
calling Boy!

BOY
Yeah?

SCROOGE
What's today?

BOY
Eh?

SCROOGE
I said, what's today?

BOY
Today?

SCROOGE
Yes, what's today?

BOY
Why, it's Christmas Day!

SCROOGE
It's Christmas Day! I haven't missed it! The Spirits have done it all in one night! They can do anything they like - of course they can. ... I say, my fine fellow!

BOY
Yeah?

SCROOGE
Do you know the poulterers in the next street but one, on the corner?

BOY
I should 'ope so!

SCROOGE
Well done! An intelligent boy! ...A remarkable boy!

BOY
What, me?

SCROOGE
Yes, you! Do you know whether they've sold the prize turkey that was hanging up there?

BOY
What, the one as big as me?

SCROOGE
Yes, that's the one.

BOY
Er, I think so.

SCROOGE
What, they've sold it?

BOY
No... it's still hanging up there.

SCROOGE
A wonderful boy! ... You're a delightful boy!

BOY
What do you wanna do wiv-it?

SCROOGE
Buy it!

BOY
What! All of it?

SCROOGE
Yes! Go and buy it!

BOY
What with?

SCROOGE
producing a note of money With this!

BOY
Cor, blimey! That's a ten pound note!

SCROOGE
That's right. Go and buy it.

BOY
Well, where shall Itake it to?

SCROOGE
Take it to Bob Cratchit's house; but don't. tell him who sent it.

BOY
And what will I get?

SCROOGE
How about five shillings?

BOY
gobsmacked Five shillings!

SCROOGE
Alright, then - we'll make it ten.

BOY
Cor, blimey!

SCROOGE
What's the matter, boy? Hurry up... off you go.

BOY
Blimey! Mr Scrooge has gone mad.

Sample Pages from Production Notes

PRODUCTION NOTES + TECHNICAL CUES etc.

N.B. These notes are suggestions only. You may find them helpful to follow; or they may act as a springboard for your own ideas; or you can choose to ignore them entirely!

INTRODUCTION: THEMES, THE PLAY'S INTENTION.

The play is a new rendition of Dicken's story. Rather more than other versions, I think this traces Scrooge's personal journey to enlightenment in an extremely clear way. Some of Dicken's own words are kept, particularly in the speeches allotted to the Readers, though the language all has a Dickensian feel to it. This serves to set the period and the atmosphere.

The focus on Scrooge undergoing what is a very 'steep learning curve'[!], gives a more psychological bent to the tale than is usual. It is clear that Scrooge has become what he has become because of a childhood where there was little enjoyment and love, except from his sister Fanny - and she has died. Denied love, Scrooge has learned to put his trust only in the tangible - money - and his own efforts, which have been perverted towards personal gain alone. Because he has had to struggle, he has little sympathy for the poor - who must be poor because they have not worked hard enough. And love, in the person of Fanny and later his fiancee, Nell, has also deserted him - though the latter through his own fault. Yet the capacity for love and warmer feelings is there and, as this version shows, not far under the surface either.

The simple style of the piece, which could be done without any setting if desired, makes it an ideal piece to present as part of a Christmas show. It extolls the Christmas messages of good cheer, loving and giving. Scrooge ends by joining in the Christmas spirit fervently, making the play a celebration of Christmas in its own right as well as a celebration of the cracking of the ice round Scrooge's heart.

CHARACTERS

Apart from the character of Scrooge, nearly all the characters in this piece are ciphers that stand for something and serve as pointers to Scrooge on his journey. Some, therefore, I will group together.

EBENEZER SCROOGE
As I have said above, Scrooge is given considerable understanding in this rendition. He had a hard childhood, brought up by a strict father without love. We see him left at school even over the Christmas period. Mother is dead and the only maternal sort of love comes from his sister Fanny. Scrooge remembers a childhood Christmas, when Fanny begged for Scrooge to be allowed home, as a highspot. But Fanny was taken away from him, since she died in childbirth. His nephew, Fred, did he but realise it, is willing to share home and family fun with him, but perhaps Scrooge blames the young man for his dear sister's death, and this in some way explains his refusal to allow himself this pleasure.

Whatever the reasons for Scrooge's mean character, it is clear from our visits to the past that the younger Scrooge was not like that. He remembers with affection his old and generous employer, Old Fezziwig. Had he remained under this man's influence, Scrooge would have turned out very differently. But instead he fell under the influence of his second employer, Jacob Marley, who moulds young Scrooge into his likeness. And Scrooge was easily and quickly influenced. His engagement to Nell shows this. The loving and kind young man of the early engagement turns to the mean-spirited man that is the later Scrooge remarkably quickly. This second Scrooge begrudges Nell's lack of dowry and regrets his engagement to someone who will bring him no pecuniary advancement. Sensing this, Nell breaks the engagement off.

From here on, Scrooge has no softer influence in his life. Under the spell of Marley, he is moulded into a humourless, emotionless, hard man who cares nothing for his fellow human beings and everything for money. Money won't let him down; money can be trusted.

But underneath this, and very close to the surface according to this version, is a softer and generous Scrooge, aching for the love and companionship of his fellow human beings. It is this Scrooge that is revealed by the kindly intervention of the three Ghosts, themselves sent by a repentant Jacob Marley, whose one generous action - to save his own soul - is to save Scrooge's before it is too late.

To make this change convincing, the actor must show the war that is going on inside Scrooge from the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past onwards. Up to then, he needs to be played as an unsympathetic character, curmudgeonly and curt. Emphasise the gruffness of his voice and the scowling, stooped gait of a man who has created a shell around himself. Perhaps, as his true self begins to emerge, this can be mirrored by a straightening of his posture and a warmth to his voice. But this must not be too sudden. There should be a transition phase, where we see hints of 'good' Scrooge, which keep being firmly battened down.

THE READERS
One is supposed to be Dickens himself and the other a female. The contrast of the voices is good done this way - using both sexes -, adding variety and interest to these longer descriptive passages. There is no characteristaion as such, so concentrate on giving the voices plenty of atmospheric 'colour.' Often, their role is to build up tension, as well as to paint a picture of place and period to appeal to the audience's eye.

NEPHEW - FRED
His role is to show us how people should be at Christmas time - loving, forgiving and generous. He is unfailingly cheerful, despite Scrooge's put-downs. He introduces the lessons that Scrooge will have to learn - that of love and concern for one's fellow human beings, if not through practical charity, at least through a charitable heart and a kind nature. He offers practical charity by continuing to invite Scrooge to Christmas dinner, despite annual rebuff, though he is not well-off himself and could not afford to give to the poor, as Scrooge must learn to do. Through his warm nature, we glimpse what Fanny must have been like.

His voice needs to be warm and determinedly hearty against Scrooge's opposition. He remains bright and cheery even with his less generous wife and sister-inlaw. Stance and gestures should be open, expansive, rather larger than life. A jolly laugh is needed too.

NEPHEW'S WIFE and HER SISTER
These two are less generous to Scrooge. They have no patience with his constant bad temper and don't want to even think about him, as to do so would spoil their day. This is a contrast to the Nephew, who would like to see Scrooge cheer up and learn from his own example of cheeriness and generosity of spirit. There is a rather crueller streak to the wife and sister. They think the Nephew is stupid to keep trying; why should one persist in wanting to help someone who is only 'cutting off his own nose to spite his face'?

Tones of voice should be sharper, more shrewish, at times rather cruel. Quick and irritable, to contrast with the Nephew. Stance and gestures to match.

BOB CRATCHIT and ALL THE CRATCHITS
Bob is the famous poverty-stricken clerk, an employee of Scrooge. He and his family are there to stand for all the poor and needy, who need active Christian loving and giving at Christmas time. They have little enough to feed themselves and the youngest, Tiny Tim, is a deliberately dear little boy who is crippled and not likely to live. Despite having so little, being poor and cold and hungry, Bob feels no personal animosity towards Scrooge. In fact, he is grateful for a job at all, despite the fact that Scrooge must be the meanest employer in the world - begrudging him any time off at Christmas and never giving him a raise. His wife and Peter, one of his sons, are angry and bitter at Scrooge, giving the opportunity for Bob to put in a plea for Christian Charity, even towards his employer. Tiny Tim strikes the note which should be emphasised. He feels sorry for Scrooge, who has not the comfort of a large loving family and he rightly stresses that Scrooge must be very unhappy. This warms us to Tiny Tim - who is a chip off the old block of his generous-spirited father. It is clear that Martha is another one like her father, also hard-done-by at work, but uncomplaining. In fact, the family are divided: Bob, Martha and Tiny Tim needing to persist in warm kind-toned voices, despite being hunched and cramped with cold and malnutrition, whilst Mrs Cratchit and Peter may allow resentful tones to creep in and a more impatient attitude.

CHARITABLE PEOPLE
These stand for the need for active Christian Charity at Christmas - not being wrapped up in one's own family, but looking out for the poor and needy and trying to do one's bit to alleviate their hard lives, particularly at this time of year when it is cold and when, surrounded by the cheer and happiness of Christmas, the poor feel by contrast even more wretched. Despite the worthiness of their message, there is no need why one couldn't have a little bit of fun with their characters. Try perhaps making one very tall and pious, with sonorous deep tones[Number 1 ]; another being a bustly, tut-tutty do-gooder of the sort given to organising jumble-sales and church bazaars [Number 3]. Go for contrasts, to make their characters more interesting. Perhaps the third could be an angry-young-man type, incensed by Scrooge's meanness. This last one could be very `working-class' and proud of it, hardly able to bite back angry retorts in front of Scrooge [Number 2].

GHOST OF MARLEY
is usually the most traditional of the ghosts. Clanking chains and hollow groans. This is appropriate for Marley who is in perpetual torment for being the way he is. This is the one generous action of his life and after-life - to attempt to save Scrooge from a similar fate. He should be played with all the accoutrements of the traditional ghostly figure. Make sure that moaning and groaning is a feature - he is a soul in torment and needs to show that.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
played as a child. This ghost should not be too ghostly in appearance. In fact, Scrooge has to check that he is one. His voice should be bland and not condemning - not judgmental. His job is to make Scrooge confront his past and what has made him like he is; there is some sympathy in him, I feel. When Scrooge breaks down at the end of this Ghost's stay, sympathy is shown by the fact that he does not `torture' him with more pictures of his past; he realises that Scrooge has learned what he needs to. This Ghost can take Scrooge by the hand, put an arm round his shoulder as he sobs, and his voice should be light and kindly.

SCROOGE AS A CHILD
Go for a sorrowful lonely little figure, hunched and tearful. Contrast is shown when he sees his sister, when his face lights up and his posture opens out.

FANNY, SCROOGE'S SISTER
The author has chosen to use the word `Fan' as an abbreviation in the script, presumably expecting modern youngsters to find the name inappropriately comical with its modern sexual overtones. Though called 'Little Fan', I feel it is better - amd more appropriate to what she says - if Fanny is played as older than Scrooge as a child. Perhaps she is physically small - frail - as the Ghost of Christmas Past says later. She should be played quite maternally - she is the nearest thing Scrooge has to a mother - her voice full of warmth and sympathy. But keep the idea of frailty too - perhaps a cough at the end of her 'stay' to remind us of her death to come.

OLD FEZZIWIG, SCROOGE'S OLD EMPLOYER
is a dappy, endearingly vague old man, hearty of voice and generous of spirit. Keep the voice bright rather than too quavery. Though old, he works best as the hale and hearty sort, high of colour, who has probably dropped dead of a heart-attack from good living rather than any debilitation. He must be likeable and fun.

DICK WILKINS, SCROOGE'S OLD FRIEND
Not much opportunity to make much of a character, keep his replies warm, patient and full of a similar jollity and lightness as his employer. Like Old Fezziwig, he must be played with energy.

NELL, SCROOGE'S FIANCEE
The voice should be soft and reproachful, full of a sad regret for what Scrooge was and how he has changed. There is some bitterness in the tone when she asks him if he would ever have got engaged to her now - now that money has become all-important to him. Like Fan, Nell must be the embodiment of feminine softness and love.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT
This one is probably best done as a traditional Christmas figure - perhaps as Father Christmas - or at least, decked out in red and green, with holly attached to him and crowning his head. Despite his friendly and jovial looks the tone of this Spirit is harsh and inexorable. He rubs poor Scrooge's nose into his faults and will not let him off the hook. Movement as well as voice should therefore be stern, belying his looks.

THE DRINKERS
Simply there to show popular opinion about Scrooge's character. Much laughter and merriment about the old skinflint. Never overdo drunkenness - it is only funny if kept quite controlled. Regional accents and loud raucous voices.

THE MERCHANTS
Act as a contrast to the Drinkers. Opinion doesn't vary about Scrooge - the Drinkers laugh coarsely about him whilst the Merchant class - the businessmen - talk in cultured voices and with a stiff formality - which cracks on the last but one line, showing their true opinion. This line -'He stank enough before.'- should be blurted out, almost as if the speaker cannot help himself. It will be funny if the formality weakens for a moment and then they quickly pull themselves together.

LAUNDRESS and CHARWOMAN
are almost identical in their grasping `lowlife' characters. They are there to show a total lack of pity for Scrooge and to emphasise how unlikeable he is. Best if they are groaning under the weight of his belongings. Strong regional accents and loud coarse voices.

UNDERTAKER
He is more lugubrious in character. Many of his lines reveal his admiration of the daring of the two women, but he hasn't quite lowered himself to do the same - or at least not to the same extent. It might be comical if he had something like silver candlesticks sticking out of his pockets. His voice should be a bit pious. ..'It's a judgement on him' is the tone. Self-righteous. Better voice than the other two, though perhaps obviously trying to disguise his regional accent.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE
has very little to say but considerable presence. He is the most scary of the Ghosts, being a representation o€ Death himself. His movements should be very slow and deliberate, milking the effect of his pointing to the utmost. When he does speak - perhaps a magnified whisper, or hoarse croaking voice.

BOY
a street urchin with a strong accent and chirpy character. His cheekiness must be brought out. His presence marks a turning point in the story, so voice should be clear, bright and cheerful and his actions large exaggerated, full of life.

SETTING

I personally favour little to no setting at all for this play. I think it is best done with lights to define areas. Of course, the choice is up to you and if you like you could go to town on a period backdrop, depicting a street scene. However, it can all be left to the imagination and the way it is written encourages that approach.

To one side of the stage, slightly angled but basically side on, place a fairly large table, with an upright chair with arms behind it, for Scrooge. Three other chairs will be needed later, to be kept in the wings on this side. On the other side of the stage, place a smaller table, similarly, with a hard wooden chair behind it. Four other chairs will be needed at this side of the stage, ready to be brought on later. Various props [See props list] may be brought on at times to dress the setting.
The readers will need two chairs, either on the stage, in one corner, or perhaps in front of the stage.

SETTING CUES

PAGE 6
Bottom of page /top of Page 7. Remove Scrooge's ledger and turn the table upside down, placing a couple of blankets and pillows plus Scrooge's nightcap quietly in place whilst the readers are narrating. If two hooks are placed on the outer side of the wing-side table legs, a curtain can be slung between, making a partial canopy to the bed.

PAGE 12
As the readers finish speaking, Scrooge goes out of Area B light and into Area A, the centre stage. Quickly, as soon as Area B light has gone, reverse the table again and put out five chairs around it. If liked the table can be dressed with a tiny amount of food - though this could be mimed.

On the other side of the stage, as soon as the noisy Cratchit scene begins, dress Cratchit's office table [in the opposite corner] ready for the Nephew and his family - four chairs need putting out, the empty one for Scrooge. If the table is dressed, this would need to look more plentiful but not excessive.

PAGE 15
After the lights go down on the families, change the table back to Scrooge's bed, as before turning the table upside down and adding the additions - curtain and bedding. Remove the extra chairs and Scrooge's original chair. The chairs over the other side can be removed too, so that Bob Cratchit's office is ready - single chair behind the smaller table, as at the beginning.

PAGE 18
Turn Scrooge's bed back over to become the table as at the beginning, and place his chair with arms behind it. The bedding, of course, has already been removed.