A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol - Why???
The Script...well, a bit of it.
The complete text of the book

Chairman's Message

We've had this project on the back burner for a couple of years now, which will scotch the gangster rumour once and for all. Our next show is our own original version of A Christmas Carol, based on Charles Dickens' novel and the music of Sir Arthur Sullivan. You will be able to see this production for the very first time just after Christmas next year, so our contribution to the Millennium celebrations will be the World Premier of this new show. With all the characters you know and love, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, the ghost of Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, this dramatic show is packed with all your favourite Gilbert and Sullivan choruses - giving us the chance to show off our singing!

Michael Gaccon

This version of A Christmas Carol was adapted from Dickens' original as part of a project carried out by the Concept Players and sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales Lottery Unit. The intention was to produce an original work using Dickens' classic together with music arranged and adapted from the works of Sir Arthur Sullivan. The reason for this was to create a work which would be within the artistic scope of amateur societies who were looking for something outside the normal repertoire of Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, but able to be put on without the level of royalties required by the more usual holders of the rights to new works. The libretto and vocal score are available, and there are arrangements for both orchestra and synthesiser. In addition, MIDI files are available for both rehearsal and performance purposes to enable societies to put on the work without the heavy costs of a full orchestra. The work is adaptable for both large and small scale resources, as many of the parts can be doubled to added artistic effect. The settings required are minimal; many of the smaller scenes are played out of the darkness, preferably over a good PA system which can add effects to the voices. Naturally, the characters in these scenes can be drawn from other members of the cast, which hopefully gives a good spread of performance interest for the ensemble. In the solo parts, I have deliberately kept away from some of the extremes of vocal range required, for example, in some of Sullivan's tenor arias. The reason for this is to ensure that amateur groups are not put off by particularly challenging or difficult musical requirements. However, I have assumed a good standard of choral singing, as the chorus is used rather more than in other versions to support the action and mood of the piece. The original version uses a small brass ensemble on stage for the carol singing, but this music can be played from the orchestra.

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