It’s that time of the week again and this Thursday hosts a one man show that hit stages back in the year 2000. Famous author Charles Dickens is the topic of discussion, and though this version closed its curtains more than twenty years ago, there’s still a chance to see it on Broadway HD, or even purchased on Amazon Prime. Peter Akroyd’s play The Mystery of Charles Dickens was headlined by actor Simon Callow at the Albery Theatre in London to full house audiences and raving reviews when it was staged. Patrick Garland directs this solo act as Callow tells the story of Dickens all by his lonesome.
The Mystery of Charles Dickens is akin to that of a public speaking engagement or (taking it a step further) an English teacher reading a story to their class.
Everyone has their own sad story, but Callow gets to tell Dickens’ in a broadly creative aspect. The play tells Charles Dickens’ life story from to start to finish, with everything in between, Callow playing both Dickens and the characters from some of his most famous stories. Audiences will hear of the early hardships that Dickens faced whilst forging his path to becoming one of history’s most esteemed writers. His tale is filled with familial issues, personal shortcomings, and eventual triumphs that of course informed his work and shaped his personality. Callow stands alone to divulge into an intimate narrative on an author whose novels and short stories are still studied, analyzed, and revered for their imagination and originality.
There is little to the set, with the lighting and tech also at a minimum because, it’s not that sort of play. Actually, as production The Mystery of Charles Dickens is akin to that of a public speaking engagement or (taking it a step further) an English teacher reading a story to their class. What elevates it beyond that is purely due to Callow’s performance. He plays each character and Dickens with a variety of different accents and dialects, distinguishing physical mannerisms, and enough energy to keep the audience wanting more. He’s also a fun performer in that he has excellent timing when leaning into the comedic areas, with then drawing things back in for the more serious parts of the play. Callow’s pacing is also not in question, keeping an appropriate tempo so as to keep things moving without glossing over any important information. He interacts with the audience as though they are part of the story, but is also competent enough to remember that this isn’t a stand-up comedy routine. This shows, as the audience can clearly tell that his connection with them is not an invitation to speak, but only to listen and react.
Dickens fanatics will probably be first in line to sit down for this one, but as there aren’t currently many live performances happening, theatre goers may also take interest. It’s an older play, but not outdated. The language is rich, but not too laborious to endure. If nothing else, use the hour and thirty minutes to pass time. Otherwise, enjoy and be inspired by one of the greatest literary geniuses to ever pick up a pen.
