LCT to produce Dickens’ classic tale

Ghosts from Christmas past, present and future are set to visit the Lennox Community Theatre when it hosts an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

From Nov. 19 to Dec. 4, veteran director Richard Linley is bringing the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge to the stage, teaching audiences about the true meaning of Christmas.

"I think the tale teaches people the importance of humanity in a commercial world. That lesson that is every bit as important today as it was when the novella was written in 1843. Dickens was writing the story as the industrial revolution was on the way, and the discrepancy between the poor and the rich was becoming acute, especially in the city. We are drifting towards that situation again. So the world needs a little reminder sometimes of what is really important in life … people," said Linley.

This is the most technical play Linley has ever directed.
"There are lots of sound and lighting effects, like faces appearing on doors. It's something you wouldn't expect to see in the play," said Linley. "I have always loved this story. I love the novella, I love the movie versions of it, and I figured it was a good challenge for me."
The play is also enhanced by musical underscoring by Margaret Palimaka.
"The traditional melodrama has music playing while the action is going on, and Margaret has created a string of pieces to underlie the action of the play," said Linley. "It will be a beautiful experience in many ways."
While everyone else was enjoying summer sun and beaches, Linley was hard at work writing the script for the Christmas-themed play.
"Thinking about Christmas in the heat of the summer was the best part," laughed Linley. "This is the second year in a row I've had had to do that, write a show for Christmas in the summer. Writing it was a lot of work … my wife kept telling me I was crazy. It was a long time coming, but I had it written and ready for the read-through and that's my usual deadline."
Linley is no stranger to a Christmas-themed stage. Last year, he wrote and had a part in Santa Claus: The Panto.
In A Christmas Carol, cantankerous, anti-Christmas Scrooge is being played by Napanee resident John Hall.