Charles Dickens reads A Christmas Carol

Well actually, Phil Zachariah plays the part of Dickens reading/performing his own work as Dickens used to do. In hundreds of performances over 17 years, Dickens acted the part of each and every character and women and men wept openly during his performances. 3000-strong audiences roared with laughter, worthy outcomes were greeted with thunderous cheering and the boisterous waving of hats and handkerchiefs. In this case the hall was somewhat smaller, but Phil Zachariah's performance was a masterly achievement. Working with just a lectern, a book and very few props he was able to take us cover to cover through Dickens' evocative Christmas tale.

Be warned that this is a lengthy production so you need to leave your 21st century attention spans at the door, but the rewards of immersing yourself in this Victorian era entertainment are well worth it.

Our rating - 4 Hats