A Christmas Carol (Nicol) - Full Length
Ron Nicol
Genre: Drama
Cast size: 44
Duration: Two Act
By Ron Nicol | Two Act | Drama | 20m, 15f, 9m/f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
The Charles Dickens Novel adapted for the stage by Ron Nicol
Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited in his counting house by his nephew Fred, but refuses to acknowledge that Christmas is a time for celebration and declines Fred’s invitation to dinner. Scrooge refuses to contribute when charity collectors call, and demands that his clerk Bob Cratchit should work on Christmas Day. That night Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his partner Jacob Marley, who cautions Scrooge about his miserly life, warning him that he’ll be visited by three Spirits.
The Spirit of Christmas Past arrives and takes Scrooge back to his childhood, showing Scrooge being collected from school by his sister Fan, celebrating Christmas as a young apprentice with the Fezziwig family, being rejected by his fiancée Belle because of his love of money, and Belle with her eventual husband George.
The Spirit of Christmas Present takes Scrooge to a Christmas market where the Spirit prevents an argument. They travel to Bob’s house, where Mrs Cratchit and her three children are preparing for Christmas dinner, Bob arrives with crippled son Tiny Tim, and the family eat together. The Spirit takes Scrooge to his nephew Fred’s house, where Fred and his wife Caroline are entertaining several guests. Two children who represent Ignorance and Want appear, and leave with the Spirit.
The Spirit of Christmas Future shows Scrooge businessmen reflecting on Scrooge’s death, scavengers and thieves receiving payment from a pawnbroker – including one who has stolen the blankets from Scrooge’s death-bed - and debtors who welcome Scrooge’s death. The next visit is to the Cratchit family, who are reflecting on the death of Tiny Tim. The Spirit finally takes Scrooge to a graveyard, where Scrooge discovers that the grave being dug is his own.
Scrooge awake to find it’s Christmas Day. He gives a passing child money to buy a turkey for Bob Cratchit, sees the charity collectors and makes a donation, meets Fred and says he’ll come to dinner after all, and encounters Bob to tell him that he’ll increase his salary. Cratchit informs the audience that Scrooge’s reclamation and change of nature continued in the future.
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