Travel in time and space with Dickens and the Doctor in an affectionate journey celebrating two giants of British storytelling.
The Dickensian Christmas Festival in Malton presents a behind the scenes look at the ways Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol influenced storytelling and more specifically, the adventures of everyone’s favourite Time Lord, Doctor Who.
Author and producer, Gavin Collinson, worked at the British Film Institute and on Coronation Street before leaving the cobbles of Corrie for BBC Wales, intending to stay on Doctor Who for a year or two. He remained for almost a decade, working with 11 Doctors and even starring as the Time Lord in a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ cameo during The Husbands of River Song episode.
Gavin is also a speaker and has presented special events exploring topics such as Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. He’s currently working on a follow-up to his 2015 mystery-thriller, The Hitchcock Murders.
Using clips and first-hand anecdotes from Gavin’s time on the show, he reveals the similarities that A Christmas Carol and Doctor Who share, from their underlying messages and iconic characters to the time travelling tricks they both employ.
Gavin Collinson said: “A Christmas Carol is one of the world’s most significant books, made into many films and translated into sixty different languages, as well as inspiring a vast range of works, such as Frank Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful Life. And of course, Dickens has also made appearances in Doctor Who, played by Simon Callow. These British storytelling stalwarts share a very big heart. The Doctor and Dickens both celebrate humane qualities, such as kindness, tapping into the true meaning of Christmas, so I hope audiences leave inspired and uplifted.”
The event features a Q&A hosted by author, broadcaster and the great, great, great grand-daughter to Charles Dickens, Lucinda Hawksley.
Lucinda Hawksley said: “When Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in December of 1843, the story was intended as a protest against the injustices of the world he lived in, the legacy of the story continues to have an impact on the world.”
This Christmas marks 175 years of Dickens’ most famous festive story, and Malton is the tale’s spiritual home.
While A Christmas Carol was set in the fog of London, it was actually the swirling mists of Malton, and a young lawyer from the town, that inspired Dickens to create his haunting tale. Still a struggling writer, Dickens met Charles Smithson when he was working for a firm of solicitors in London and became firm friends. When Smithson returned home to Malton, Dickens became a regular visitor. Local legend has it that it was in his friend’s tiny office that he decided to place Scrooge.
The warm-hearted family event is suitable for all ages and takes place 6-7pm on Saturday 15 December at The Wesley Centre, Malton. Tickets £7 adults, £3 children. (plus box office fee). Book tickets here
*As part of the Q&A Gavin will also answer questions on how to get into script writing at the BBC.
