REDISCOVERING CHARLES DICKENS OUR ENGLISH CHRISTMAS PLAY: “MS SCROOGE IS STILL AROUND”!!! Charles Dickens was a writer who really knew poor people and the difficulty of their lives. He understood them, and his books probably made life better for them as they sensitized people to help the poor and the needy. The “Christmas Carol” story by Charles Dickens was printed and ready to be sold in time for Christmas 1843. The book, in a red and gold hard cover, price five shillings, was a great success. By Christmas Eve the bookshops had sold six thousand copies, and orders were coming from all parts of the country. Lord Jeffrey wrote to Dickens: “Blessings on your kind heart… you can be sure you have done more good by this little book, caused more kind feelings, and made more people give freely to the poor and suffering than all the words in churches.” An alternative version of the classic play “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens was presented at the Main Hall of our school in December by all students of Class C’7. This …contemporary – and creative - point of view shifts the plot from Dickensian London where crowded houses were heated with coal fire to the world of today. Instead of penny-pinching old Scrooge, the audience meets the stingy “Ms Scrooge”. This character was created solely by students and, albeit based on Scrooge, she highlights a totally new approach to the play. Of course, just like grumpy old Scrooge, she is a moneygrubber and on the night of Christmas Eve she is in for a surprise. Students said “We adored the play! We achieved this in a very short time, because of our passion and our strong will to contribute to the needs of our school.” And they did contribute! “God Bless you all! Everyone!” said Tiny Tim Well done, C7!!! .