by Noella Noelophile®
(Royalty-free image courtesy of Pixabay, at pixabay.com.)
Is it really that time of year again?
Yes, and yes. Almost Christmastime, AND time to start planning if you’d like to attend one of my favorite fun “Victorian Christmas” events.
On Saturday, December 14th, the International Printing Museum, in Carson, will once again be hosting their annual “Dickens Holiday Celebration“.
That’s over three weeks away! Why the early post?
Two reasons:
1) Their popular interactive performances of “A Christmas Carol” have a tendency to sell out;
2) Guests are encouraged (though not required) to “dress Victorian”, and the advance notice allows you some wiggle room!
Let’s start with the second reason first.
The mechanics of Victorian dress
Where to find a Victorian costume, should you want one, without spending a Queen’s ransom?
International Printing Museum Theatre Manager Phil Soinski was kind enough to offer some guidance.
“Ladies can still get long rehearsal skirts from most dance-wear companies throughout LA,” Phil emailed. Victorian-looking blouses, he added, may be found at thrift stores, such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
In addition, the Museum offers tips on dressing Victorian-style, which you can access here.
Now, for the gentlemen?
“Men can get their white shirts and button them to the the top and extend the collars up!” Phil offers. “Then, tie a silk or nylon scarf around their neck-instant cravat. Get a dark vest and you’re in business”
Obviously, Phil has had considerable practice in creating the Victorian look.
He continues, “Also, tight black pants and hike up the pants leg with long white stockings and black slip ons can also get the early Dickens effect.” And, of course, there’s the jacket to go with all of this–for which Phil suggests an old tux jacket for men and teenage boys. Once again, he says, thrift stores are an excellent place to find these.
Oh, and to top it all off?
“Top hats can be purchased at Barron Hats in Burbank and Village Hats in Long Beach,” Phil adds.
The event itself
(Photo courtesy of Jim Whobrey, and used with permission.)
And now that you’ve “got your Victorian on”, what can you expect to see, starting at 10 am on December 14th at the International Printing Museum?
Well, you’ll be walking into Old Fezziwig’s Warehouse.
Victorian Christmas decorations and lampposts will create a festive atmosphere.
(Photograph courtesy of International Printing Museum, and used with permission.)
Dickens characters, such as Fagin and the Artful Dodger, will be flitting around, getting into mischief.
(Photograph courtesy of International Printing Museum, and used with permission.)
Mad Miss Havisham will be observing the progress of her ward, Estella, in interacting scornfully with any gentlemen she meets. Nathaniel Winkle from “The Pickwick Papers” will be demonstrating a “health cure” with his electro-static generator.
(Photograph courtesy of International Printing Museum, and used with permission.)
While all this is happening, guests will be given mini-tours of the museum, where they get to see the working antique printing presses. And visitors will get to print their own gift Victorian Christmas cards and gift tags, on Victorian era presses!
The main event, though, is a chance to meet “Mr. Dickens” himself.
Charles Dickens (P.D. Soinski) becomes Scrooge during the Dickens Holiday Celebration
@ The International printing Museum Sat. Dec. 8th 2018 (Photo courtesy of Jim Whobrey, ©2018, and used with permission.)
In three separate sessions, the acclaimed author will be turning his lecture on A Christmas Carol into an interactive event, with audience participants featured as cast members! (Performances are 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm and tend to sell out quickly. Here’s the link for information.)
Besides the tours and performance, lunch is included, and guests will be serenaded by a Christmastime trio.
(Photograph courtesy of International Printing Museum, and used with permission.)
Captain Jack will crank out carols on his 1895 Player-Organ. Accompanying him will be “Steerforth”, from David Copperfield, with his Holiday Dulcimer, and “Lucy Mannette” from Tale of Two Cities, on her Christimas guitar.
There’s also a new addition to the festivities, this year.
(Royalty-free image courtesy of Pixabay, at pixabay.com.)
As “The Poet of Fleet Street”, guest artist Jacob Depraect will create a customized poem, onsite, for you and your guests.
And a popular feature will return: Victorian “tin-type” photographs! Even if you didn’t get to “dress Victorian”, the Bailey Denton Photographers can help if you’d like a keepsake photograph. They’ll be equipped with costume pieces to give you a look that would have fitted right in at Old Fezziwig’s warehouse–and Mr. Dickens’ lecture hall.