Many
of you are probably only familiar with Eastern States Exposition (ESE) during
The Big E. Well contrary to what you might think, the grounds are not
completely desolate during the Fair’s off season. Apart from The Big E, there
are over 100 other shows held at ESE throughout the year.
If
you have been keeping tabs on this blog, you might recall that Yuletide week
and Walking in a Winter Wonderland are going on now. Another recent event you
may not have heard of is Dickens at Storrowton.
Storrowton
Village Museum set the stage for this incredible event which featured Gerald
Charles Dickens’ magical performance of “A Christmas Carol.” Gerald, the great,
great grandson of author Charles Dickens, performed his rendition of the holiday
favorite to a large audience in Storrowton’s Meetinghouse last Monday night.
Gerald captivated the
audience as he made the entire Meetinghouse his stage. He brought life to each
character, using different voices and interacting with audience members.
Gerald’s Ebenezer
Scrooge sulked
on the pulpit steps as Jacob Marley walked the aisles of the church dragging
his chains behind him. His emotional portrayal of Bob Cratchit and
the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come moved audience members to tears. Needless to
say, it was an outstanding performance.
The special event was
preceded by a social hour in Storrowton Tavern and invited guests had the
opportunity to meet the talented Gerald Dickens following his performance.
As we were impressed by him, Gerald was impressed with
Storrowton Village. Following the show, he wrote on his blog, “What a wonderful, spectacular setting. You are all doing
something very special there and it was a complete pleasure to be a small part
of it.”
Gerald, a resident of
Oxfordshire, England, began his theatrical
performance of “A Christmas Carol” in 1993. His one-man dramatization of the
holiday classic was inspired by his great, great grandfather’s own readings of
the timeless story. This remarkable performance has been recorded, performed
at schools, colleges and universities throughout the county and across the seas.
We are lucky to have had him!
