Pontine Theatre Hosts A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

Pontine Theatre presents A Victorian Christmas. The production, performed by Pontine Co-Directors, Marguerite Mathews & Greg Gathers, includes a Toy Theatre adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and a puppet play, The Knave of Hearts by Vermont's Louise Saunders. Performances are Thursday at 3pm, Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 2pm at the Plains School located at #1 Plains Avenue, Portsmouth NH. Tickets are $27 and may be purchased online: www.pontine.org - tickets may also be purchased at the door a half-hour prior to each show, based on availability. Pontine's Plains School is fully accessible with convenient free parking adjacent.

Toy Theatre is an antique parlor entertainment, performed on a table-top stage, with two-dimensional cut-out scenery and actors. It reached its height of popularity in England, during the Victorian era. This historic theatrical style is ideally suited to Pontine's condensed rendition of Dickens' endearing story. A Christmas Carol was written in 1843 with the intention of drawing readers' attention to the plight of England's poor. The story's emotional depth, brilliant narration, and endearing characters offer plenty of rewards for Dickensian fans and Grinches alike.

The Knave of Hearts is performed with rod puppets and toy theatre figures. It's a radical retelling of the fairy tale by written by Louise Saunders. Ms. Saunders was associated with New Hampshire's Cornish Colony. Her play explains the reasons for the strange behavior of a respectable nursery character, the Knave of Hearts. Louise Saunders resided in Windsor VT with her husband, Maxfield Perkins, Editor at Scribners. She was also an actor with the New York Comedy Club.

Serving the Seacoast since 1977, Pontine Theatre has developed a sterling reputation for quality performances and educational programs. With an impressive repertoire of innovative, original productions, the company serves both its home town, Portsmouth, NH and New England and neighboring states. At the Plains School, located in Portsmouth, an at-home performance series showcases the company's premieres and the works of a national roster of guest artists. Pontine's 2018-19 Performance Series also includes: Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards in Concert, Peter Dimuro's Public Displays of Motion and Pontine's premiere of an original adaptation of work by a 19th century Hampton Falls author, The Stories of Alice Brown.

Pontine Theatre's 2018-19 season is supported by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Pontine Theate Co-Director, Marguerite Mathews, Performs A Victorian Christmas, December 6-9, at Portsmouth's Plains School

Photo Credit: Carol Dostie