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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
As Mr. Dickens once did, October 19, 2000
This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Reissue) (Audio CD)
Firstly I have a bit of a retraction to make. I have often said that books that have been recorded, and even worse abridged, are not worth the time of the listener, and not what the writer originally intended. In this case the opposite is true. Mr. Dickens often performed portions of his work, and if you can spot the abridgments in this performance, you are very cognizent of every line of the piece. Mr. Stewart is well known for his television role of Captain Picard. He is also an award winning thespian, and a long-term veteran of London's Royal Shakespeare Company. He has performed "A Christmas Carol" on stage in London, and New York City, and the elements shared were the highest recognition of his peers, and sold out shows. I had the privilege to see Mr. Stewart perform his Olivier Award Winning one-man show, and it was extraordinary. The Disc will bring you his voice, and while it cannot match the presence of this Actor, the listener is missing less than you might expect. The disc cannot replace the live performance. Mr. Stewart's performance is done on stage with so little in addition to his voice, short of being there this is tremendous. When on stage there are no sets, just 4 pieces of wooden furniture that he moves about, as he needs. There are no costumes, as he appeared is contemporary dress. The lighting is minimal, so when you can only listen you still have the heart of the performance. There is no extravaganza on stage, no over produced ready-made soundtrack. There is one extremely talented man, relaying one of the greatest writer's works to you. There are dozens of roles to play, he plays them all, and when a conversation takes place between multiple characters, you will think you hear multiple actors. This is an accomplished classically trained actor delivering an extraordinary performance. I took my Father to the show, prior to which he had no idea who Patrick Stewart was. When it was over he said that in 60 years of attending Broadway Theatre, he had seen nothing better. Enjoy!
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spellbinding Performance, November 27, 2001
This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Reissue) (Audio CD)
Unfortunately, I missed Patrick Stewart's one-man stage version of a Christmas Carol while he was still performing it. Fortunately, I decided to give the taped version a listen. After borrowing it several times from my local library, I bought my own copy to listen to every year. Mr. Stewart does an outstanding job of bringing all the characters to life. Only a couple times in the two hours do I ever get a little lost as to who is saying which line, and then it's only for a few seconds. The combination of Dickens' words and Stewart's dramatization brings every character and description to vivid life. It should be noted that this is an adaptation of the book. Some scenes have been cut, and other added for this recording. That doesn't interfere with my enjoyment, however, and I doubt that it will bother anyone else. I spend the two hours hanging on every word. It's over all too soon. This has become a Christmas tradition I look forward to every year. Give it a try, and you will be captivated by it as well.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful rendition of an enduring classic., January 22, 2002
This review is from: A Christmas Carol (Reissue) (Audio CD)
An audio record of Patrick Stewart's one-man rendition of Charles Dicken's Timeless Classic. Stewart has adapted the text for his show and performs all the characters and necessary sound effects. It is wonderful example of the power of a good actor. The enduring story of "A Christmas Carol" involves Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy
grasping businessman, who is untouched by human emotion. Or so we think
until he is visited one Christmas Eve by four sprits who show him the error
of his ways. In the end a redeemed Scrooge resolves to keep the Christmas
spirit all the days of his life and to be good to his fellow men. Stewart is able without the aid of costumes, scenery, special effects, or
other actors, to bring this timeless tale to life. His vivid
characterization of each person is all the more remarkable for the fact that
the only tools he has are his voice and the listener's imagination. I enjoy his rendition more and more each passing year.
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