A quick visit to London and an opportunity to see Simon Callow at the Playhouse Theatre in ‘The Mystery Of Charles Dickens’. Essentially he is the Narrator of Dickens’ life but from time to time through quotations from letters, journalism and other sources be becomes the man himself. Best of all, though, he inhabits characters in the novels, 35 in all. All the favourites are brought on: Ebenezer Scrooge, Uriah Heep, Mr Bumble, Sam Weller. However, Callow has said that Mrs Gamp from ‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ is his favourite and it shows. It’s not only the voice but his face and body transform into the booze-soaked midwife. Remarkable and very funny.
Callow is on stage for about ninety minutes with a short break in the middle. It must be very demanding especially as he gives so much to the performance. Watching and listening I was reminded of a story told by Donald Coggan in his book ‘The Ministry Of The Word.’
‘The then Archbishop of Canterbury once asked Thomas Betterton (1635-1710) why actors seem to have no difficulty in making an impression on their audiences, while preachers frequently leave them cold. The famous actor replied: ‘Actors speak of things imaginary as if they were real, while you preachers too often speak of things real as if they were imaginary.’
It is obvious that Simon Callow has made a profound connection not only with a man he has never met but with characters which have emerged from that man’s imagination. And he has been blessed with the gift of being able to communicate something of the reality he has gathered.
It is something very like this which is at the heart of Christian devotion. The centre of our faith is a Person, Jesus Christ, and it is as we connect with the truth of who He is and His teaching and the significance of His death and resurrection that we are transformed and given grace to reflect something of Him in our lives. This is a mystery but one well worth exploring and proclaiming.
