Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit and Ebenezer Scrooge come to marvelous life in Patrick Stewart’s critically-acclaimed solo interpretation of A Christmas Carol. The star of X-Men and The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stewart has performed his one-man stage production of this holiday classic to sell-out audiences. Now, in this Grammy nominated studio recording of the dazzling achievement that has thrilled audiences in New York and Los Angeles, Stewart invites listeners to rediscover the timeless story at its source: Dickens’ own words, presented in a soaring, virtuoso solo performance in which Stewart plays all parts.Patrick Stewart’s one-man production of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol played to sold-out audiences in New York and Los Angeles. In this studio recording based on those performances, Stewart is in rare form, using his considerable range of voices to play all roles, from the Ghost of Christmas past to Tiny Tim. It must be said that Stewart clearly enjoys playing Scrooge best of all–but isn’t the villain always the most compelling character? Even if you feel that “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart,” this rendition of Dickens’s classic will get you in a Yuletide mood. (Running time: 2 hours, 2 cassettes) –C.B. Delaney
Tour de force Why is Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” so much a part of the Christmas season every year? Probably because the themes Dickens worked with- anger, sorrow, regret, the power of redemption -are nearly universal to the human experience and particularly enter our minds in the Christmas season.
Jean-Luc does Dickens My family has listened to this recording every year since we bought it in 1998. My kids grew up with it, know most of it by heart and don’t consider it Christmas unless they’ve heard it. Patrick Stewart is incredible as he performs the voices of all the characters, plus many of the sound effects. If you hear this recording and are not enthralled by it, I would have to question your sense of wonder or your appreciation for a magnificent performance and an enchanting story. Beautiful!