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Pickwick's Pub
Pickwick’s Pub Night Fundraiser will again open the festivities of the 19th Riverside Dickens Festival on January 6, 2012. The social hour featuring appetizers and a no-host bar will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a three-course dinner following at 7:00 p.m.
Patricia Scarborough is hard at work creating and casting a new show that is sure to get everyone in the mood for a rollicking weekend of Victorian delights. Ms. Scarborough is a Riverside native and has been featured in many local theatre productions over the years. She was involved with the Mission Inn Dinner Theatre and Performance Riverside.
Cost: $75 per person or a table of 8 for $600. Order Tickets
Look to the latest Dickens Diary Newsletter for updates.
Dickens Bicentenial
Planning for the 2012 Riverside Dickens Festival is underway and once again we will pack the downtown Riverside Convention Center with demonstrations, diversions, shows, and spectacles to satiate the senses, astonish the sensibilities and ignite the imagination.
Charles Dickens was born February 7, 1812 and we plan to go all out to have a spectacular celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of his birth.
The featured book for the 2012 festival will be "A Christmas Carol", probably Mr. Dickens' most famous work.
You may be assured that all the famous characters from that novel will be in attendance - Mr. Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Cratchit family and of course the three ghosts. Did you know that Mr. Dickens was the first author to feature time travel in a novel? This is a theme that is sure to be explored at the 2012 Riverside Dickens Festival.
Join us in costume or come as you are to the most illuminating festival since the 19th century.
For further information on individual events planned for the 2012 festival check back often for updates.
Bydand Forever
Recreating a company of The Gordon Highlanders as they were in 1882, “Bydand Forever” is a regular at the Riverside Dickens Festival. They present daily firing and drill demonstrations featuring 1875 Manual of Arms, an 1874 Gatling gun, and their Drums and Pipes. The group establishes an authentic billeting area, and are available to answer questions about life in the Highland Brigade.
The plaintive sounds of bagpipes can be heard on the rainy, gray afternoon. Suddenly the staccato sound of rifle fire ring out, followed by the rapid crackling of a Gatling gun. Men in red jackets and plaid kilts kneel in battle position and fire on an enemy only they can see.
The Royal Victorian Tea Room & Music Hall
Mr. Treacle and his cast of colorful characters will be entertaining Her Majesty Queen Victoria at special Queen’s Teas. In addition to the rousing entertainment costumed servers will pamper you with homemade traditional hot and cold tea delicacies such as sandwiches, scones, fruit, assorted other items; and of course, a hot pot of tea.
Three special Queen’s Teas are scheduled:
Saturday – January 7 at 11:30 am and 4:00 pm
Sunday – January 8 at 3:00 pm
New this year are “Haunted Teas”. What will Mr. Treacle and the Music Hall cast do when they are set upon by the ghost of Mr. Jacob Marley, rattling his chains and demanding tea? Will they run? Will they hide? Or will they go and fetch him a pot of tea? In the meantime, the show must go on... mustn’t it? Join us for screams, scones and a frighteningly good time when the cast presents “A Dickens of a Haunt”.
Haunted Teas are scheduled:
Saturday – January 7 at 2:00 pm
Sunday – January 8 at 12:30 pm
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
For reservations and information call:
Janet 951-213-6297.
All teas are $19.95 and have the same food items.
Evensong
A Beautiful program of readings and fine music will be presented at the First Congregational Church on Saturday, January 7, 2012. The English Evensong had its origins in the monastic Vespers, for which the monks put aside their tools and came together for a moment of reflection and celebration. $10
In 1996, Professor John T. Hamilton of La Sierra University conceived the idea of presenting an English Evensong in the First Congregational Church in conjunction with the festival. His request was approved, and he conducted the Riverside Choral Artists in a Festival Evensong each year from 1997 to 1999.
In late 1999, Steve Kester, Organist/Choral Director of Victoria Presbyterian Church, was asked to organize a group to continue the wonderful tradition begun by Dr. Hamilton. That group became the Raincross Chorale who performed its ninth Evensong at the 2008 festival. This beautiful program seems to be one of Riverside's best-kept secrets, except to the 400 devotees who fill the church each year and make the Evensong one of the best-attended activities of the festival.
The English Evensong had its origins in the monastic Vespers, for which the monks, who had worked all day in the fields and vineyards, put aside their tools and came together for a moment of reflection and celebration in the gathering dusk. The Evensong has been mostly unchanged since the first English Prayer Book of 1549, developed by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556). Especially important is the over-arching theme of light and peace.
The service presented by Raincross Chorale is a modified Evensong based upon the Book of Common Prayer and includes many of the standard elements, but places an emphasis on choral music appropriate for the occasion. In addition to the usual responses to the Scripture readings, the Chorale performs some stunning church anthems, which reverberate so magnificently in the chruch. It is always a great pleasure to hear the fine 38-rank Austin pipe organ.
It is meet and right that the Evensong be a splendid part of the Dickens Festival.
Oliver's Alley
Oliver's Alley once again was the place to be for the under 12 set.
The Children's Tea Parties were well attended. "Tea" (apple juice) and cookies was served as a Tea Nanny shared a bit of the manners and mores of Victorian England. Tea Parties for those 12 and under were held five times each day - Noon, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and due to popular demand we plan to add an 11:00 a.m. tea at the 2012 festival
At the Victorian Photo venue children had the opportunity to select Victorian-era clothing from the dress-up trunk and have a picture taken as a keepsake of their visit to Oliver's Alley.
There were hands-on demonstrations of Victorian-era games, wool spinning and crafts such as decorating a YoYo and dressing a Dickens character. Queen Victoria, Mr. Scrooge, Mr. Dickens and Mr. Pickwick all stopped by to say hello.
Oliver's Alley was conceived to provide children with a fun and free Dickensian experience.
Volunteers Needed!
The Dickens Festival would not happen if it were not for a volunteer board of directors, 20 committee chairpersons, 100 committee members, and scads of days-of-the-festival assistants.
Many people enter into the fun of it all by showing up at the festival as Dickensian or Victorian characters. Some volunteers have been with us for 19 years, beginning in 1993.
The festival needs a large number of people to be involved even if just for a single two-hour shift. Groups and organizations are welcome to join us to help with a particular event or with set-up and teardown.
The volunteer jobs include newsboys, knitting circles, croquet players, costume assistants, ticket takers, parking, sign placement, community outreach, school program ushers, fundraising, program distributors and more.
Call the office (951) 781-3168 and leave your name and phone number, or you can send an email to info@dickensfest.com.
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Gerald Dickens Returns to Riverside
Save the Date - December 19, 2011
"If you want to see internationally acclaimed Gerald Dickens, great-great grandson of the famous author, come to the evening performance!"
Gerald Dickens will appear at a 7:00 p.m. dessert performance, Mr. Dickens is Coming, a light-hearted look at the life and character of Charles Dickens, to be held at the Riverside Community Players, 4026 14th Street. Tickets for the afternoon tea are $50 adults and $25 for those 12 and under. The evening performance is $50 for all tickets. Click HERE for a downloadable and printable ticket order form. For further information please call 951-781-3168 or 800-430-4140.
Gerald Charles Dickens is the great-great grandson of literary master, Charles Dickens and is an actor and producer hailing from Oxford, England. This will be his only California appearance open to the general public.
Gerald bears more than a passing resemblance to his famous ancestor, who originally toured the U.S. in 1867 reading his literary works before spellbound audiences. The historians report that A Christmas Carol was his favorite piece to perform. According to Gerald, his great-great grandfather adored theater and initially wanted to be an actor but pursued writing as a career for practical purposes. For many years Gerald says that he himself “avoided anything to do with Dickens like the plague.” But in 1993 when a friend asked him to do a reading of A Christmas Carol on its 150th anniversary of publication to help raise money for a historical restoration project, he couldn’t turn him down. To his surprise, he enjoyed doing it and has been delighting audiences around the world with his rendition ever since.
During his energetic one-man show, Dickens brings A Christmas Carol to life. He leaps, he sobs, he laughs…as he entertains…depicting 26 characters of the classic tale, with just a table, wing chair, and hat rack accompanying him on stage. He has created different postures and voices for each character, achieving this so adeptly that the audience has no doubt about “who is who,” so to speak. Says Bob Byers, President of Byers’ Choice Ltd., “It’s a wonderful show--a great family tradition--the best way I know of to kick off the holiday season.”
Mr. Dickens returns to the U.S. for his 2011 tour that will take him to twelve states across the country. He will transform manufacturing facilities, churches, hotel ballrooms and lobbies into scenes straight out of the classic holiday tale, much as Scrooge was transformed from a dispirited miser to a joyous soul after his Christmas Eve encounter with ghosts from the past, present and future. His performance is produced by Byers’ Choice Ltd., makers of the nationally-known Carolers® and Kindles® figurines, located in Chalfont, PA. For more information on Mr. Dickens’ 2011 tour calendar, visit www.byerschoice.com or phone 215-822-6700.
THE AFTERNOON TEA IS EVENT SOLD OUT
Mr. Dickens will perform A Christmas Carol at a five-course tea at 2:00 p.m. at the Riverside Marriott, 3400 Market Street.
Gerald Dickens Interview
Fashion Show
Victorians at Work and Play
The 2010 fashion show revealed scenes of Victorian life - tea time, children and nannies in a London Park, a visit to the dressmaker and milliner and of course a dramatic Victorian ball. Those who joined us were amazed at the frills, flounces, bustles, hoops and other essentials of fine Victorian clothing.
In 2011 we focused on professions and pastimes such as whist, cribbage and fencing.
I Met the Queen
Beginning with the second festival in 1995, Queen Victoria and her family have become an integral part of the Riverside Dickens Festival, celebrating along with every participant and visitor the writings of Charles Dickens and helping to promote the festival named for him.
The Queen and members of the Royal family joined us in 2011. She shared her comments and observations about the various performances with visitors to the Royal Pavilion. Although she attends the festival in support of Mr. Dickens and his writings, to become closer to her subjects and to enable her children to enjoy and participate in the events, she also performs several duties. On Saturday and Sunday the Gordon Highlanders presented a firing and drill demonstration of their rifles and Gatling gun. Queen Victoria was escorted onto the parade ground to inspect the troops, and then took her place in the viewing area and covered her ears just like everyone else. On Saturday night, during Mr. Fezziwig's Victorian Grand Ball, she knighted a deserving citizen. This honor is bestowed to the surprise of the recipient and delight of the ball attendees.
For musch of the afternoon, she could be found in her pavilion attended by some family members and courtiers as she welcomed visitors who wanted to chat informally with her. Each visit was rewarded with a memento stating, "I Met the Queen."
Meet Mr. Dickens
In this one-man show, Charles Dickens addresses an American audience in Baltimore during his second visit to the United States in the year 1867.
Paul Jacques is a local actor, director, and drama teacher who portrayed Charles Dickens at the 2011 festival for the seventh year.
Mr. Fezziwig's Ball
Saturday, January 7, 2012
doors open 7:30 p.m. - dancing begins 8:00 p.m.
Return to the romantic times of Mr. Dickens and Queen Victoria at Mr. Fezziwig’s Grand Ball. The ball is conducted exactly the way such an affair would have been managed in Victorian times complete with dance cards and beautifully dressed ladies and gentlemen twirling about the dance floor.
The Philadelphia Quadrille Orchestra will again provide appropriate music for dancing and Dance Mistress Robin Bancroft will guide the dancers through Quadrilles, waltzes and polkas.
Do you need to brush up on your dance skills? Details of era appropriate dance classes are in the current Dickens Diary.
Book Discussion Group
Both Dickens’s first Christmas book, A Christmas Carol, and his second, The Chimes, were best sellers dealing with significant social issues of his times. Professor Cindy Bendshadler from Riverside Community College will lead a discussion of these books. Join the book discussion to read these short works in a one-volume edition supplied to each discussion member. The book discussion will take place AFTER the Festival on four Saturdays, Jan. 14, 21, 28 & Feb. 4—1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Location: Riverside Downtown Library, 3581 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside. Cost: $15—registration includes a copy of the book and the study guide. To register: call S. Purkart, 951.788.7008. Hurry—space is limited!
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