A 200-year-old tale for today
Book filled with fun
Despite it once being filmed as a Muppet movie, actor Ray Henwood says Dickens’ Christmas Carol is anything but a children’s tale. ‘‘It’s a moral tale.’’ Dickens expresses throughout the book his own deprived youth, Henwood said.
‘‘The social disparities that existed; the abundant wealth that existed; and the extreme poverty that London, in particular, could show.
‘‘Of course he chose the time [Christmas] because that is the time, he says, when wealth is abundant and want is keenly felt,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s certainly not a children’s piece. It’s very much a piece for the thinking person.
‘‘In fact I don’t think children would get it because all the concepts in it are really adult concepts, selfishness, greed and avarice.’’
The Circa stalwart will read from Dickens’ text and bring some of the memorable characters to life on stage this month: Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the ghosts of Christmas past and present, and of Christmas to come.
The poverty faced by the family of Scrooge’s employee Cratchit is harshly contrasted with the wealth of his nephew’s family.
Every facet of society is seen, Henwood said.
‘‘It’s sentimental. Nothing is as clear cut in real life but, of course, that is the way to highlight it.’’
A Christmas Carol is shorter than most of Dickens’ other works, and it was also written and published as a single integrated piece, he said.
The rest were both written and published in serial form, which explains why they have been popular television shows; they are split neatly into episodes.
‘‘It gives us the ideas we still have of Christmas. The idea of Father Christmas, and the ghost of Christmas, past and present.
‘‘The ghost of Christmas past is very much the idea of Father Christmas.’’
The production marks 200 years since Dickens’ birth.
‘‘I hope it will give people the idea, not a particularly religious one, but the idea of the feeling of Christmas that comes to us all.’’
A Christmas Carol opens at Circa Theatre on December 7 and runs until December 22.
To book, visit www.circa.co.nz or call 801 7992. Pikelets flew wildly through the air at Pataka recently as Titahi Bay children’s author Holly Gooch launched her new book in style.
A range of activities kept about two dozen children entertained, from a pikelet-throwing event to recipe creation, pumpkinweighing and water slide design.
Each activity reflected a story in Gooch’s Hometime, her fourth book, which is illustrated by Alice Moore.
It contains short stories both fun and serious, she says.
‘‘They’re about the things that kids get up to when they’re mucking around home. They’re kind of cheeky but they’re also quite thought-provoking as well. Bittersweet.’’
Hometime can be purchased for $12 from Holly Gooch’s website, www.hollygooch.wordpress.com.
Gooch also recently launched a website full of free activities for kids: www. stargazersandtrail blazers.com.