What the Dickens? - Wolverhampton

A new show where music and theatre collide by award-winning writer Clare Norburn and BAFTA-nominated director Nicholas Renton with colourful Victorian popular songs & street music, old carols and lively folk music performed by a multi-talented cast of seven who act, sing, dance and play instruments - sometimes all at the same time!

It’s Charles Dickens’ last Christmas Eve: 1869. Against his doctor’s wishes, he gives one of his acclaimed theatrical readings of A Christmas Carol, but from the moment the lights go down, his life becomes strangely entangled with his character Scrooge. Dickens’ carefully managed image as a family man, who has created the very quintessence of Christmas starts to unravel. He is haunted by the women he mistreated (his wife and mother of his ten children, Catherine Dickens, and his secret young mistress, Ellen 'Nelly' Ternan), who force him to face up to his past, present and future. Can Dickens learn from the ghosts, repent, and be saved - as Scrooge was saved?

“mesmerising”  - The Guardian on The Telling

“an exploration of the boundaries between art and life...intelligent… finds new terrain” - The Guardian on Clare Norburn’s writing

Age restrictions:

Generally, we believe ages 11+ would enjoy this play – or possibly younger if they are used to going to the theatre. The play isn't scary – it's much less scary than most films of A Christmas Carl - rather it might be a bit serious for very young children. There are some fun moments and musical numbers. It is more enlivening than taking a child to a straight orchestral concert (and we say that as musicians!). We think it depends on the child as well as the age.

Extant in partnership with Arena Theatre – presents Enhance:

Visually impaired access has been created for this show post-production, devised by an Extant visually impaired facilitator. This is not audio description, but instead an ‘enhanced’ way of providing access that has been tried and tested by Extant.

We invite visually impaired audiences to come along and experience the programme notes and touch tour at 6pm, before the show begins. The notes encapsulate the visual aspects of the show and are written with access for visually impaired audiences at the core. The Touch Tour offers exploration of set, props and costume: offering an immersive space in which to imagine the work before the show begins.

"Very descriptive and it allowed me to create a visual picture in my head."

Extant Enhance 2023-26 is funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England.

Supported by Arts Council England.

Photo by Sisi Burn.