Peter Ackroyd - Mystery Of Charles Dickens

(4.5 stars; 14 reviews)

The Mystery of Charles Dickens by Peter Ackroyd, read by Simon Callow In this tour-de-force performance, Simon Callow portrays not only Charles Dickens but also many of his best-loved characters, from Mr Micawber and Bill Sikes to Oliver Twist and even Nancy. Readings from Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield and many of his other novels interweave with the author's own words and an incisive, compassionate narrative. An idyllic childhood in Chatham was swapped for his family's penurious existence in London, the city which would later provide the canvas for many of his greatest works. With a father imprisoned for debt, young Charles was deprived of an education and forced to work in a blacking factory. Such experiences moulded this lonely and unusual child into the fiercely industrious and highly ambitious writer who would later claim that his characters talked to and touched him. A fascinating insight into the circumstances how he never quite managed to escape the dark shadows cast by his earlier life. The Saturday Play: The Mystery of Charles Dickens First broadcast: Sat 29th Dec 2001, 14:30 on BBC Radio 4 FM In a curious preamble, Simon Callow says his solo performance is "not really about playing Charles Dickens", rather a "living biography" in which he tells the author's life through characters. In other words, he's voicing not just Dickens but 49 of his creatures as well, from Little Nell to Bill Sykes, and he plays Dickens playing his creations.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.