John Bowen assists in bringing 'A Christmas Carol' to Shakespeare stage

Posted on 28 November 2017

John Bowen, Professor of Nineteenth-Century Literature in the Department, is Expert Advisor to a new Royal Shakespeare Company stage play that aims to give Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' a contemporary twist.

The play, brought to life by world-renowned playwright, David Edgar, will be reimagined for modern-day audiences through relating the famous tale of greed, love, and redemption to the pressures of contemporary life.

This includes naming some of the unnamed characters in the novel after social media channels and high street shops, as well as giving gendered identities to the ghosts that haunt the novels lead character, Ebenezer Scrooge.

In his role as Expert Advisor to the production, Professor Bowen, a literary expert in Charles Dickens and other major Victorian novels, provided insight into the historical context of the novel, the inspirations of its author, and the impact the story had on readers of the 1800s through to modern day.

You can see the play trailer on the RSC website, and read more in The York Press.

David Edgar has also written an article for theartsdesk.com website.

'A Christmas Carol' is at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford until Sunday 4 February 2018.