Christmas at Dingley Dell by Charles Dickens

**** This programme was suggested by Sean Herring as part of BBC Radio 4 Extra’s All Request Christmas ****

On 23 December 1827 Mr Pickwick and his manservant Sam Weller set out with his friends, Mr Tupman, Mr Snodgrass and Mr Winkle upon a journey to Dingley Dell.

There, as guests of Mr Wardle, they were to enjoy the festivities of a good old-fashioned Christmas.

Starring David March as Mr Pickwick and Nigel Graham as Dickens, the narrator.

Adapted from "The Pickwick Papers" and "Christmas Stories" of Charles Dickens by Constance Cox.

Characters in the stories are impersonated by certain of our revellers:

Somebody's Luggage -
Christopher .... Bob Sawyer
Mrs Pratchett .... Emma
Miss Martin .... Miss Isabella
Mistress of the George .... Miss Rachel
A Young Man .... Benjamin Allen
A Gentleman .... Mr Winkle

The Bagman's Story -
Tom Smart .... Sam Weller
The Widow .... Mrs Wardle
The Chair .... Mr Wardle

Cast:

Mr Pickwick .... David March
Charles Dickens, the narrator .... Nigel Graham
Sam Weller / Tom Smart .... James Bryce
Mr Tupman .... John Bott
Mr Snodgrass .... Geoffrey Edwards
Mr Winkle .... Nicholas Courtney
Mr Wardle .... Michael Bilton
Old Mrs Wardle .... Sheila Grant
Miss Rachel .... Ellen McIntosh
Miss Emily ..... Eileen Tully
Miss Isabella .... Helen Atkinson-Wood
Miss Arabella Allen .... Maggie McCarthy
Mr G. Trundle .... Mark Rolston
Joe (the fat boy) .... Stuart Organ
Benjamin Allen .... Peter Wickham
Bob Sawyer .... Steve Hodson
Emma / Mrs Pratchett .... Carole Boyd

Violinist: Ruth Ehrlich
Violinist: Peter Manning
Harpist: Skaila Kanca

Director: David Johnston

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1983.

**** To nominate a programme from the archives that you would like to hear again, please email [email protected] ****

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