DECEMBER 16, 2022 - “Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.” The opening line of a novel that perhaps rivals “Call me Ishmael” and also opens a new series of videos from Sir Patrick Stewart.

Stewart has performed a one man adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel, A Christmas Carol, and he says that the story has meant a great deal to him in his life. Now he is bringing another version to his followers via social media.

Beginning on December 14, Stewart announced on Facebook, he is offering twelve days of mini readings from the novel on his new TikTok page. In the opening episode, he sits before a fire in jeans and a sweater, with white winter growth on his face, and announces that he is joining TikTok and celebrating with the series of readings.

A Christmas Carol: In Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas was published December 19, 1843, by Chapman & Hall. The first edition sold out by Christmas Eve. The novel has never been out of print and has been adapted many times for stage, screen, radio, etc., including Charles Dickens’ own public readings of edited and adapted versions, which he began in 1853 and continued until his death, in 1870.

One might wonder what Dickens would have thought of Sir Patrick’s public readings. And vice versa.