The Rochester and Chatham Dickens Fellowship Present: A week long celebration!

This is your invitation to many events celebrating the bicentenary of Charles Dickens' birthday (7th), which will take place between the 6th and 11th February. Brought to you by the Rochester and Chatham Dickens Fellowship (R&C DF) in conjunction with UCA Rochester.

 

Monday 6th:

11.15am - Reading 'Pip's First Meeting With Magwitch' from Great Expectations (Eastgate House, free)  2.30pm - Dickens: Man of Medway - a talk by Thelma Grove, former International President of the Dickens Fellowship (Eastgate House, free)

Tuesday 7th:

11.15am - Reading 'The Bastille' from A Tale of Two Cities (Eastgate House, free)

2.30pm - Readings, anecdote, memorials and the laying of remembrance flowers (the Dickens Family Churchyard of St.Mary's Church, Dock Road)

7.30pm - The Dickens Bicentenary Birthday Show, a host of Victorian style variety and entertainment (Britannia Theatre, Dickens World, £5

 Wednesday 8th:

11.15am - Reading 'The Signalman' a short story by Dickens (Eastgate House, free)

2.30pm - A Dickens of a Cream Tea, with readings and other entertainment (Eastgate House, £3)

7pm - The Cricket and the Kettle, A pantomime by the Wellcome Players inspired by 'The Cricket and the Hearth' (Dickens World, £5)

 

Thursday 9th:

11.15am - Reading 'Election at Eatanswill' from The Pickwick Papers (Eastgate House, free)

2.30pm - The Caged Lady - an insight into Victorian costumes and attitudes by Lee Ault, Chairperson of Canterbury Dickens Fellowship. (Eastgate House, free)

7pm for 7.30pm - The Bicentenary Dinner at The Show Room, Dickens World. Victorian costume and pre booking a must! Tickets £20.50.

Friday 10th:

11.15am - Reading 'David Goes To Dover' from David Copperfield (Eastgate House, free)

2.30pm - Undressing a Victorian Lady: A lighthearted look at everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask ... or see! (Eastgate House, free)

7.30pm - Say Cheese to Mr Dickens: An exploration and taste of the cheeses linked to the great man! (Eastgate House, £5)

Saturday 11th:

11.15am - Reading 'Dotheboys Hall' from Nicholas Nickleby (Eastgate House, free)

2.30pm - Dickens Friendships: Home and Abroad read by Anne Marie Vukelics (Eastgate House, free)

Bringing the celebratory week to its conclusion will be a Hoi Polloi Mr. Fezziwigs Ball, at Dickens World on Saturday 11th at 7.30pm. Enjoy caller led old style country dancing to Skinners Rats, with a buffet supper and entertainment - Victorian costume welcome! Tickets are £15 and it's best to book in advance.

For the duration of the celebration, an exhibition called 'Dickens Childhood Years in Medway' will show daily in Eastgate House between 11am and 4pm. Entry is free.

                          

Please note: Eastgate House is a very old and historic building and unfortunately doesn't have wheelchair access to its upper floors, where most of the talks and entertainments will be held.