The Olde Dickens Shoppe

Dickens, Literature, London, TV & Film, UK

This is going to be long — LOL. On the upside, there will be several miniseries and film recommendations, and lots of photos!

Being a bit layed-up recently, I’ve been watching some film & mini-series adaptations of the lesser known Dickens novels.

There are a few adaptations of the big titles that I can watch over and over again with absolutely no problem — seriously stunning, with incredible performances. If you’d like to get into some Dickens, check out one of these.

I highly recommend the brilliant 1999 David Copperfield with Maggie Smith and Daniel Radcliffe (and a boatload of British film faces). Also remarkable — the 2005 Bleak House with Gillian Anderson & Charles Dance (it’s my favorite). The third of my top three, (however by no means at the bottom), is the 2011 Gillian Anderson Great Expectations. All absolutely top-drawer. The Helena Bonham Carter/Ralph Finnes Great Expectations is quite well done too. I’ve seen all of these several times, and will see them again.

Gillian Anderson & Oscar Kennedy in *Great Expectations*

I didn’t care for the 2023 FX/Hulu version of GEx with Olivia Colman, much as I love her work. The 2012 The Mystery of Edwin Drood is at the bottom of my list. I don’t think I made it through one episode. (They made it very romance-y, dwelled on Rosa, and didn’t quite capture the atmosphere.

I binged a 1977 version of Hard Times over the last day, and quite liked it! Didn’t strike me as corny/silly and 70s at all. I also enjoyed — I don’t even know what to call it — The four-episode 2001 Dickens “spinoff,” Micawber. A rare Dickens comedy, not corny, and well done. The characters are intact, but the plot for each episode is original. There’s a 1995 Martin Chuzzlewit that I liked enough to finish, but wouldn’t watch it again. On the silly side of things, there’s a goofy comedy called The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff, a sort of Dickens-inspired sitcom mash-up. It’s okay, just not my thing.

Bill Sykes, Compeyson, Miss Havisham, Inspector Bucket, Fagin, The Artful Dodger, and Mr. Bumble in *Dickensian*

All in all, I liked the miniseries, Dickensian. It’s very clever, and it’s certainly beautiful. They’ve stuck a ton of Dickens characters into the same few blocks of London, woven their lives all together, and explored how they became who they are in the novels. Brilliantly written. Of course, once you’ve seen it, there’s no reason to watch it again.

The principal characters of the 1998 *Our Mutual Friend*

Today, I’m starting a 1998 BAFTA Award-winning version of Our Mutual Friend, with Timothy Spall (a favorite) in the cast. We’ll see how it goes.

Joel Grey & Patrick Stewart in *A Christmas Carol*

To answer the question which must be answered — my favorite version of A Christmas Carol is the 1999 version with Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge. It keeps a lot of what most of the other versions toss out, the language is more poetic and true to the original, and their version of Scrooge’s London is stunning; in addition to the terrific performances.

Mischief Managed

London, New York, Travel

I can’t positively say whether I dislike all big city airports; but I can positively say that I absolutely loathe both JFK (New York City) and Heathrow (London).

We accrue a lot of JetBlue points, and that’s where they from and to, so it is what it is. As you’ve probably gathered, I’m planning my first post-recovery trip to London for January. I’ll still be recovering, but I’ll certainly be well enough to take a familiar trip — I know London backwards and forwards.

I signed-up for TSA PreCheck — No more absurd security lines. No more taking off your belt, shoes, and jacket. No more carry-on screening. Leave your iPad, laptop, and that quart-sized bag of liquids and gels in your tote. This solves a lot of my problems with JFK.

For Heathrow, I did my usual — adding a day at the end of the trip and checking into a hotel directly inside the airport the day before my flight home. No need to get up early, worry over time, stress, or get on a plane exhausted. Just walk out of the hotel door and I’m already there.

I’ll still have to get off the train from the airport at Liverpool Street Station, which is way down deep in the center of the earth near where the devil lives. 36 meters/120 feet, or about 12 stories underground. Platforms and hallways are incredibly long, and then you meet the most extreme escalator you’ve ever seen in your life.

*Yes, that’s really the actual escalator I’m talking about.*

I like to be in a neighborhood, so I’m staying at a hotel in a buzzy pedestrianized area with an incredible location — Bankside, right on the River Thames, leaning against an ancient pub, across-ish from Shakespeare’s Globe.

*The hotel entrance is at the end of the red-doors building, right across from Wagamama. On the left, that’s the terrace on the river.* *The Globe is right behind you.*

I’ll be doing my usual history thing. There are a few medieval churches on the list, the Docklands Museum, the effigies at Westminster Abbey, the renovation of the National Portrait Gallery, a few locations from Bleak House that I’d like to see in person.

I have a contact that could get me in to play a historic pipe organ, but I haven’t decided yet. I’ll likely play the little pipe organ in the train station for sure. The Globe is doing Cymbeline while I’m there. Sadly, not a play I really want to see. I might go see the revival of Oliver though.

Welp, I’ll finally be able to spend that £2 coin I brought back last year.

Dickens & The Romantics

Musician, Theatre

That would be a good name for a band.

I’ve been writing to pass the time — I have a half+ draft of of a very Dickensian chamber musical written. If you’re familiar with Dickens and/or the Romantic Poets; it’s principally about the Micawbers, Nell Clenham, and Thomas Gray.

Its usual fate would be this: Printed out, bound, and put in a drawer unproduced. That’s 100% okay. I have a few of these unfinished on top of the upstairs piano. It would sting a little to banish this one though, because I think it’s quite good.

The last time I produced a musical I was swimming in actors and theater people. Since moving, I don’t have the theatrical friends I used to, we’re all spread out now. After a point, I don’t work very well alone. Eventually, you need to make demo recordings, bounce ideas around, and read out loud with another person.

I decided I’m going to be actively on the lookout, but I haven’t decided quite how. I’ll be looking for a baritone-tenor to work with, who could then take the role of Thomas as things progress.

I looked at the rates and specs for the Paramount theatre around the corner. It’s beautiful, but it’s way, way, way too big. I knew it would be. It’s a good thing — if it were 50% the size and didn’t have a balcony, I’d have been tempted to get out my checkbook.

There’s a super-cute small theater about a sixty-second walk from our house. (No kidding!) It’s a “nope” though. It’s marketed as a wedding/events/catering venue. Of course, its rates reflect that.

I think I probably gasped when I was given the dollar signs for this beautiful, quirky little place. But, being what it is, it would cost several thousand dollars for just one afternoon/evening. Plus, no piano. (And I don’t need canapés at intermission.)

My peculiar little five-person musical play would be most at home in a small 19th century lecture hall or an old stone meeting house, even the large parlor of a grand home. So, that search continues.

But first things first. If you know a “Thomas” candidate, send him my way! We’ll do a video submission. He’d be late 20s/early 30s, handy to Westchester, theatre experience, baritone/tenor, perhaps a bit awkward. I imagine an Adrian Brody type.

St. Martin’s and Environs

London

I think I figured out the way to do it.

I woke up at 8 o’clock (which I hadn’t planned on), took my medicine, and took a shower. I lied back down thinking, “Oh, I could just close my eyes for a few minutes.“

I woke up at 11:45.

Downed a double espresso and flew out the door feeling great! After I got back at 6:30 tonight, I realized I had taken 156 photos! It’s going to be a big photo day, but I’ll whittle it down a bit!

I caught the Route 15 bus on the corner at noon. It was packed, hot, and noisy. I don’t know why the air conditioning wasn’t on, other than British people tend to be like, “Oh my God, the sun is out and it’s hot! Isn’t it wonderful?!” I would’ve taken a cab, but when the bus goes door-to-door for £2, it’s hard to turn down.

I headed over to Saint Martin’s in the Fields. The church itself is a favorite spot. There’s an awesome café, education center, and shop in the crypt, so I always stop. The café was packed, but there’s a side hallway that no one knows about that leads to a seating area that’s always completely empty.

*I’d like to solve. It was Mr. Phill, in the crypt, with his hair.*

Heading up Saint Martin’s Lane, I passed a few familiar sites and the notable Brydges Place, but I was particularly headed for a few sights I hadn’t visited in a while — Cecil Court for great shopping and Goodwin’s Court, for a great photo.

*Brydges Place, purportedly the most narrow alley in London.* *I don’t believe it. It’s not **that** narrow.*

I stopped in Mark Sullivan Antiques, where I’d been a few times before. Mark is very friendly and likes to answer questions and talk, and he always remembers me. We had a nice chat. I looked for something I might like to buy, but didn’t find anything quite right. I headed over to Goodwin’s Court for a photo op.

*Cecil Court, Mark’s shop is on the left.*

*Goodwin’s Court, always good for a photo*.

I bought a little collapsible stool before I left, and I love it! Super-light, and folds up to about the size of a large Whitman’s Sampler. As I headed over to Covent Garden, it proved itself.

People everywhere, difficult to even walk, no seats available, like a packed day at Disney World. But. I could sit down wherever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to. I was under a shady tree for a good 15 minutes. The seat probably doubled the time I was out enjoying myself, being able to rest whenever I wanted.

Covent Garden had an exhibit of painted gorillas happening, and there were plenty of other things to take pictures of (following). I thought Audrey Hepburn should be there in her proper location, so I added her.

*“Two bunches of lovely violets trod in the mud. A full day’s wages!”*

*The nice new shady pedestrian plaza in front of St. Mary le Strand*!

I saw the following two ladies on the walk back to my hotel. I’ve noticed that modern office buildings often incorporate sculpture or busts from the before-building that was torn down. After I saw this, I realized it must be a law that doesn’t state where the salvaged art needs to be.

These poor ladies are on a short retaining wall at the back entrance/loading dock of an office building that is ironically … derelict and empty.

Have a good sleep!

Sit Still Phill

Incidents involving antiquity, travel, renovation, and music.

Crypts

The Olde Dickens Shoppe

Mischief Managed

Dickens & The Romantics

St. Martin’s and Environs