Charles Dickens goes Hinglish

Encapsulating the festive spirit, A Christmas Carol, is a play performed by puppets, richly enhancing the flavour of the Charles Dickens book.

In a unique effort, Dramabaaz Co. will be presenting an adaptation of A Christmas Carol, an 80 minute play in Hinglish. This is a new version of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly old man, who receives a Christmas Eve visit from the ghost of his partner, Jacob Marley, warning him to mend his selfish ways.

Talking about the concept of the play, Garima Arya from Dramabaaz Co. says: ‘This classic story has been adapted  and creatively transformed it into a ‘puppet-actor play’, which includes puppetry, human actors and dancers. Hence, it is a unique amalgamation of the following art forms — glove puppetry, acting, choreography and artistic designs and graphics.’

Explaining how she came up with the idea, she mentions: ‘We wanted to do something special this Christmas....and what better choice than the famous story A Christmas Carol , and that too when the whole world is celebrating Charles Dickens 200 this year!’

Asked about the present condition of puppetry in India, she says:, ‘I think puppetry needs to go to the next level where it involves all kinds of art forms. This  will help make it more attractive, entertaining, educational and creative at the same time. India is opening up to experiments and is appreciating out-of-the box ideas. These ideas need to be convincing. That’s all.’

The play focuses on the storyline in which during the night three spirits appear before Scrooge, showing him visions of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future — finally revealing the possible results of his unloving, uncaring life. Upon waking up on Christmas morning he joyfully flings open his window, and cries out:

‘Oh, Jacob Marley and Christmas time be praised! I’m still here!

(picks up some clothes, drops them, tries to sit, but can’t contain himself) I don’t know what to do!

(laughs) I’m as light as a feather, I’m as happy as an angel, I’m as merry as a school boy!

(shouting out the window to passersby) A Merry Christmas to everybody! (to the audience) A Happy New Year to all the world!’

He then proceeds to amaze one and all with his newly found Christmas spirit.

Tickets: Rs 350, at <a href="http://mycity4kids.com" target="_blank">mycity4kids.com
Schedule: 24 December, 7.30pm
At: LTG Auditorium Mandi House; 25 December, 3.30 pm & 7.30pm
At: Epicentre, Sector 44, Gurgaon; 26 December, 7 pm
At: Alliance Francaise, 72, Lodhi Estate 27 December, 3.30 pm & 7.30pm
At: Alliance Francaise, 72, Lodhi Estate