Dickens on Theatre

Description

Dickens' burning passion for theatre has often been overlooked by fans of his novels. He was a poor playwright and a frustrated actor, but he staged performances for which he oversaw every detail, and personally adapted many of his own fictional works. As a consummate self-publicist, he also undertook numerous stage tours and public readings of his own work. For Dickens, and for large swathes of Victorian society, theatre was a hub of community and a great leveller: audience and performers would spill out onto the streets and into nearby drinking establishments after each show.