Fans of the beloved "A Christmas Carol" will want to see a different spin on the tale which is now on stage in Chicago.
"Charles Dickens Begrudgingly Performs A Christmas Carol Again" is being presented through Dec. 28 at Theater Wit. It's a humorous production starring Blake Montgomery as Dickens. This solo show is a Jeff Award-winning production and for good reason.
Montgomery exhibits great talent in comedic timing as well as a perfect accent while delivering the 90-minute production which profiles the famous author.
The premise of "Charles Dickens Begrudgingly" is that the author has been performing "A Christmas Carol" each holiday since 1853 and, at 200 years old, is plain tired of it. He'd rather be hosting a party than rehashing the holiday story.
With that in mind, audiences get to see how Dickens will decide to relay his tale and what lessons he will learn or what meaning he'll take away from the dreary task of performing the show again.
"Charles Dickens Begrudgingly" was first performed in 2011 at The Building Stage in Chicago. Montgomery's Clownshow production company presented the show in 2024 at The Den Theatre. This year's rendition of the show is being directed for the first time by Jonathan Berry. Montgomery said Berry "brings so much" to the presentation of the work as director.
If you're looking for a fun, witty production that also has a lot of heart and gives you a few things to think about as well, make plans to see this show.
FYI: "Charles Dickens Begrudgingly" continues to Dec. 28 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago.Tickets are $45. Call 773-975-8150.