He’s dapper and charmingly British in a tall black top hat, twirling a silver-tipped antique cane. You might remember him as the mastermind behind “Oliver Twist,” “David Copperfield” or “A Christmas Carol.”
Next week Mr. Dickens will step right out of 19th century London and into the intimate setting of Orcas Center’s Madrona Room – Gerald Dickens, that is, great-great-grandson of the famed author Charles.
“It’s fun! It’s entertaining. Dickens doesn’t have to be dry,” Gerald told the Sounder. “He loved theatricals, he loved entertaining. People will leave with big smiles on their faces; that’s the plan.”
Gerald will perform a one-man show, “Mr. Dickens is Coming!” for school students during the day, and again that evening at Orcas Center for an Orcas Arts Education Project fundraiser. After the evening performance guests will enjoy a pub-style fireside dinner prepared by local culinary talents Karen Hedge and Mary Russell.
The show will be “a varied and entertaining look at the life of Charles Dickens,” said Orcas Center’s Executive Director Barbara Courtney.
Gerald will illumine the life of London’s most famed novelist with narrations by historical people who lived and worked with Charles, and characters from Dickens’ novels, as well as thoughts of his own.
He said Charles’ recurring theme of poverty was autobiographical, as Charles’ own Royal Navy-employed father was thrown into debtor’s prison and Charles, at 12, was sent to work to pay off the debt.
“It was a real real shock, a real slap in the face,” said Gerald. “He started as journalist in House of Parliament, listening to politicians, and knew this huge gulf between gentry and people living on the streets. He knew what it was like to be on the streets and to suffer in that way. When he did start to write his novels (and became popular) he came back to that theme because he knew he could make a difference.”
And Gerald’s favorite Dickens character to play?
“It’s completely impossible to tell you,” said Gerald, but relented: “Scrooge is brilliantly performed, because he goes through so many changes over the course of the play. He’s a real real joy to do.”
An actor, director and producer, Gerald regularly performs at major theaters, arts centers, arts and literary festivals, hotels and stately homes in the UK and US.
As to how in the dickens he got into performing Charles Dickens, “It wasn’t my idea at all in the first place,” said Gerald.
“I’d been acting since I was about nine and really hadn’t done anything to do with (Charles’ works) at all, but in 1993, the 150th anniversary of Christmas Carol being published, someone came with the idea of doing it for a charity. I had such a good time doing it; I enjoyed working with the characters and making them come alive and giving them different voices an expressions, that I decided to do more.”
Gerald went on to write and direct further one-man shows including “Nicholas Nickleby” and “Sketches by Boz.”
The show starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9. A minimum $50 per person donation is suggested, with proceeds to benefit the Orcas Arts Education Project. Seating is limited to 100 guests; please RSVP by November 4.
For tickets, please visit www.orcascenter.org , call 376-2281 ext. 1, or visit Orcas Center during box office hours, Thursday-Saturday, noon – 4 p.m. The event is underwritten by the Orcas Island Education Foundation.
