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The Guardian
"This lively dramatisation gives you exactly what you want and expect. It’s not a modern-day remix. Working-class characters speak as they always do in Dickens adaptations – someone shouts “read all abaht it!” within the first three minutes – and the upper classes are snooty and unforgiving. Trotty is played by Toby Jones, brilliant as ever; indeed, every character is portrayed with verve and warmth."
SciFi Pulse
"The entire cast is spot on. Toby Jones brought humanity, warmth, and depth to Toby Veck. Thank you to everyone at Average Romp. I now have another great addition to my Dickensian Christmas audio collection."
Sci-Fi Bulletin
"1844 and 2022 are more alike than perhaps we’d like to believe, and this engaging adaptation is a chance to experience Dickens’ powerful tale. 9/10"
Warped Factor
"[Toby Jones] is up there with many of the best cinematic Scrooges... What Average Romp has achieved here is a version of The Chimes THAT WORKS AS WELL as the best Christmas Carol you’ve ever seen. Yes, even the Muppet one."
Set The Tape
"The cast in this new audio production from Average Romp are wonderful... A Christmas Carol may be the Dickens story we want to hear this time of year, but The Chimes is the Dickens story we need to hear this time, this year."

The Cricket On The Hearth & The Haunted Man

Following the critically-acclaimed release of The Chimes in 2022, Average Romp presents two more full-cast adaptations of Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories; THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH and THE HAUNTED MAN. 

The casts include Paterson Joseph (Wonka), Graham Fellows (“John Shuttleworth”), Jeff Rawle (Drop The Dead Donkey), Dan Starkey (Doctor Who) and Tilly Vosburgh (EastEnders).

They are adapted by Eddie Robson and Jonathan Morris, directed by Lisa Bowerman and have sound design and music by Howard Carter.

The Cricket on the Hearth is a heartwarming and humorous tale about a parcel carrier called John Peerybingle who fears his wife Dot may be unfaithful to him due to their age difference, and the ill-matched wedding between the imperious factory owner Tackleton and the free-spirited May. The Haunted Man is a more sinister tale about a scientist called Redlaw who is visited by a spirit in the form of his own shadow and given the chance to forget his troubles. 

THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH/THE HAUNTED MAN can be ordered together for £12, or with The Chimes for £20

You can stream previews of both plays via YouTube and Spotify below:

SpotifyThe Cricket on the Hearth Spotify preview

SpotifyThe Haunted Man Spotify preview


For more details, read the FULL PRESS RELEASE

The Chimes

THE CHIMES is a feature-length, full-cast adaptation of the ‘lost’ Christmas book by Charles Dickens, now available to purchase as a download. 

Toby Jones (The Detectorists) leads a cast that includes David Horovitch (House of the Dragon), Lucy Speed (Eastenders), Laura Aikman (Casualty) and Victoria Alcock (Bad Girls).

It was adapted by Jonathan Morris, directed by Lisa Bowerman and has sound design and music by Howard Carter.

The story concerns Toby Veck, a man who worries that he has become a burden on society, a man who wonders if his family would be better off without him. He’s troubled by a newspaper report about a young mother who recently killed herself, and her baby, by jumping off London Bridge. He’s been told that the poor don’t deserve sympathy, and that some people are just born bad and beyond redemption. And he’s starting to believe it…

But on New Year’s Eve, the Chimes set out to prove him wrong.

THE CHIMES can be ordered now for £12. You can stream a preview of the first 14 minutes here:

Spotify


Read the FULL PRESS RELEASE

Double Dickens

Save money and treat your ears to over three hours of delightful Dickens’ tales by ordering both releases at the discounted price of £20.00.