As the holiday season kicks in, and legions of Dickens’ Christmas Carols descend on us from all corners of the globe, there will be many delights for the eyes and ears to be sure. But this December, my thoughts will stray a bit wider than usual, to The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio. For it is t here, in Columbus, that audiences will have the opportunity to witness a rare master of the craft. Angela Iannone, who simply astounded me with her impeccable turn as King Lear at the American Shakespeare Center earlier this year, will return to The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio in the role of Charles Dickens, andcweave her inimitable spell with her own retelling of Scrooge’s famous Yuletide ordeal and conversion. Angela Iannone as Charles Dickens in ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Greg Bodine. Photo by Lindsey Walters. Prior to her return to Columbus, and as her year at the ASC in Staunton, Virginia, wraps up, Iannone gave a command performance of A Christmas Carol, as adapted by Greg Oliver Bodine. In this version — based on Dickens’ own performance texts — Iannone plays a somewhat inconvenienced Charles Dickens, who has arrived at the theater somewhat empty-handed because his trunk, with all the performance texts, has mistakenly been sent off on a journey of its own. Which leaves Iannone’s Dickens barehanded, but ready to give the story a rich retelling. As directed by Leda Hoffmann, A Christmas Carol has Iannone, dressed to the nines in fine Victorian suit and cravat, act out the myriad characters (upward of 30 different roles, by one count) and rest assured, Iannone gives each persona their due. All that’s needed is a cozy Persian carpet, a coat rack, an armchair, and a side table with water (which comes in handy when you hold forth nonstop). Any additional details — flowing scarves, etc. — are provided by Iannone, evoked through a gestural language that is great fun to watch. One of the rich gifts Iannone brings to A Christmas Carol is her voices — myriad voices, some high, some low, some young, some elderly, with a virtual rolodex of dialects that leave your head spinning. There is a joy in mimicry like this, both in the doing and in the watching, as you sit on the edge of your seat, remembering the familiar tale and asking yourself, “OK, how’s she going to do this one?” and always being delightfully surprised by her choices. So if you can, consider a road trip this December; hang a right as you pass through Columbus on I-70, hit High Street and head up the stairs at 77. Go for Charles Dickens, stay for Angela Iannone and her inimitable style. Running Time: 75 minutes, with no intermission. A Christmas Carol featuring Angela Iannone plays December 11 to 21, 2025, at the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, 77 S. High Street, 2nd Floor. For tickets and more information, click here. And for those closer to home, the American Shakespeare Center’s (full-cast) annual A Christmas Carol runs through December 27, 2025. For more information, click here. A Christmas CarolBy Charles DickensAdapted for the Stage by Greg Oliver BodineThe American Shakespeare CenterBlackfriars Playhouse, Staunton Virginia The post In praise of Angela Iannone as Charles Dickens in ‘A Christmas Carol’ appeared first on DC Theater Arts. ...read more read less