A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is a classic novella by Charles Dickens (1812–1870)[1].

The original text

The novel was first published by Chapman & Hall on 19 December 1843.

Adaptations for the stage and other media

The work was adapted for the stage almost immediately. Three productions opened on 5 February 1844, and by the close of February 1844, eight rival theatrical productions of the work were playing in London.

International versions

The novel and the play have been a standard piece since then and has been adapted for stage, film, radio and TV production in numerous ways. These include versions adapted for opera, ballet, a Broadway musical, a BBC mime production (starring Marcel Marceau), and Benjamin Britten's 1947 chamber orchestra composition Men of Goodwill: Variations on 'A Christmas Carol.

The name "Ebenezer Scrooge", the protagonist of Dickens's novel, has often been used as the title, or part of the tile, for a number of versions of the original work, including numerous films. Besides the film called Scrooge, or Marley's Ghost (1901), there have been films called Scrooge released in 1913, 1935, 1951 and 1970.

Scrooge is also the title of a 1992 stage musical.

South African adaptations and translations

Translated into Afrikaans and adapted for the stage as Ebenezer Pennieknyper ("Ebenezer Penny Pincher") by Aart de Villiers and Don Lamprecht in 1982.

Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), adapted by Keith Galloway.

Adapted for the stage, the text in English with some Afrikaans, by Lara Foot and renamed as Scrooge. The action now set in the present day and journeying back to the early 1900s.

In 1982 Veronica Paeper also choreographed a ballet version of the tale, called A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge. This version has been produced a number of times since

Performance history in South Africa

1982: Presented in November in Afrikaans as Ebenezer Pennieknyper in the Etienne Rousseau Theatre in Sasolburg , directed for the ATKV by Aart de Villiers, with Dawie Malan, Johan Blignaut, Christo Gerlach, Ryno Hattingh, Didi Kriel, Don Lamprecht and Paul Lückhoff.

1982: Performed as a ballet in two acts by CAPAB at the Nico Opera House, choreographed by Veronica Paeper.

1992-1993: Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) was presented at the New Victoria Theatre, Cape Town, from 14 December 1992 to 30 January 1993, directed by Deon Bisschoff.

1996: Performed as a ballet in two acts called A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge by CAPAB at the Nico Opera House, choreographed by Veronica Paeper.

2012: Performed in Afrikaans as Ebenezer Pennieknyper in the Little Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch, directed by Juanita Swanepoel, with Waldemar Schultz, ***

2013: The Baxter Theatre, : Scrooge, Lara Foot’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol , set in the present day and journeying to the early 1900s, and performed in English with some Afrikaans. Directed by Lara Foot, with Marc Lottering, Andrew Buckland, Shaleen Surtie-Richards and Christo Davids, Nur Abrahams and Poseletso Sejosingoe; plus a 50 strong youth choir. Set design is by Patrick Curtis, lighting by Mannie Manim, costumes by Marcel Meyer and magic is created by Chad Findlay. The choir is made up of learners from Kenmere Primary School Choir, Kensington Chorale Girls' Choir, Herzlia Constantia and Injongo Public Primary School Choir.

2019: Performed as A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge by Cape Town City Ballet at the Artscape Theatre, choreographed by Veronica Paeper 14 to 24 December, with "Ebenezer Scrooge" performed by actor/designer Marcel Meyer and lighting design by Wilhem Disbergen. The ensemble consists of the 40 members of Cape Town City Ballet and 23 young dancers from Cape Town.

2021: Performed as a ballet in two acts by CAPAB at the Nico Opera House, choreographed by Veronica Paeper. "Ebenezer Scrooge" once more performed by actor/designer Marcel Meyer, design by Peter Cazalet and lighting design by Wilhem Disbergen.