What is it about Dickens and Christmas?
The two seem inextricably linked in our minds, and certainly, in a place like Caledon, one can see the attraction of the Christmases so lovingly described in works like The Pickwick Papers and A Christmas Carol.
Although, perhaps we should remind ourselves that A Christmas Carol is a ghost story – and has an opening line that wouldn’t disgrace a Raymond Chandler thriller:
Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.
But, nevertheless, I know of no fewer that three productions of A Christmas Carol that will take place this Christmas. Crap Mariner told me he was off to a rehersal for one the other day, and I’m involved with the Caledon version, which will be broadcast on Radio Riel (watch this space for more details of these).
But I’ve also been informed of a third production, by the West of Ireland Storytellers – which is aiming to raise awareness of PROJECT CHILDREN through a presentation of A Christmas Carol.
They say:
The talented West of Ireland Library staff is dedicated to promoting quality literary works from around the world with special emphasis on works from Irish and Celtic sources. The Library’s staff of Storytellers will be joined by other notable WOI personalities to form a cast of eleven readers to present Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol for two performances only: Sunday, December 14 at 11am (slt) and Monday, December 15 at 7pm (slt) at the West of Ireland Library and Cultural Center.
All the performers are volunteers and donations are accepted to support Project Children, a real world non-profit positively affecting the lives of children in Northern Ireland: Second Life activity, with meaningful Real Life results.
“A Christmas Carol is my absolute favorite Christmas tale,” said Aoife Lorefield, Storyteller and creator of this adapted version. “It’s a story about how changing our hearts can change lives … what better way for the West of Ireland Library to celebrate these holidays and support Project Children?”
Popular Storyteller Shandon Loring is currently slated to voice the famously flinty and curmudgeonly “Ebeneezer Scrooge”, and will be joined by Storytelling regulars Aoife Lorefield, Derry McMahon, Elder Priestman, Caledonia Skytower and others. Also joining in the merriment will be popular DJs including Spyot Denima as “Fred”, Dave93 Nieuport as “Christmas Present”, and Keira Colclough as “Belle” and “Tiny Tim.” West of Ireland CEO Sioban McMahon will voice “Christmas Past.”
Storyteller Aoife Lorefield has written an adaptation from Dicken’s original with an eye and ear to capitalizing on the musical “Carol” nature of the classic tale. Lorefield’s adaptation focuses less on individual characters, with the exception of a few main significant voices such as Scrooge, and more on the choral aspect of the storytelling.
The success of the library staff’s group/choral story reading of Bram Stoker’s Dracula in October, with capacity audiences for the two performances, inspired them to take on this new project for the December Holidays.
For information on the West of Ireland Storytelling: www.irelandslstory.blogspot.com
The West of Ireland is a Second Life simulation (sim) created to support the programs of the South Texas Celtic Music Association (STCMA), a recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the United States. Additionally, the West of Ireland has been approved by Linden Labs, the creators of Second Life, as a certified nonprofit.
The mission of the West of Ireland is to promote Irish and Celtic culture within Second Life and raise awareness of Project Children, while providing guests and community members with an entertaining and welcoming environment and to raise funds for Project Children.
For information on the West of Ireland sim: www.irelandsl.org
Project Children is an international organization that takes children from Northern Ireland on summer trips to stay with host families in the United States. Catholic and Protestant children are brought together in a calm and multi-cultural environment in an effort to overcome the stronghold of prejudices that have burdened Northern Ireland for so long. The STCMA raises funds for Project Children at its annual Celtic Music Festival and through the Second Life West of Ireland sim to pay the transportation costs for children participating in Project Children.
For information on Project Children: www.projectchildren.org
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See Scrooge and Marley’s office (and lots of other things too) at Winterland Christmas Classic.
Prim Perfect 
Pretty soon, every stream will be a reading of The Christmas Carol.
The default avatars will be characters from this timeless classic.
And then anyone choosing the Tiny Tim avatar will be banned by Governance for ageplay.