Review: Dr Marigold and Mr Chops

Dickens was already a famous writer when he began giving readings of his own works and they were, by all accounts, rapturously received by huge audiences.

Dickens endured life in the slums as a boy and as well as entertaining he also saw his role as highlighting the plight of the poor. In Dr Marigold and Mr Chops, Callow – familiar from his many TV and film roles – tells tales of travelling folk and the hard lives they faced.

In Mr Chops, the first half of the performance, the proprietor of Magsman’s Amusements recounts an episode from the life of dwarf Mr Chops.

The premise that this is Callow taking on the role of Dickens giving a reading is perhaps an unnecessary distraction, though.

Dickens had quite a reputation as an actor but it’s doubtful whether he could have ever competed with Callow’s stagecraft – or the set and lighting, for that matter.

As the comparatively youthful-looking Callow is now older than Dickens was when he died – a man who stares out of photographs at us as a grey-whiskered gent – it may be best to just enjoy the tales for what they are.

Callow certainly portrays Magsman captivatingly, twisting himself into Mr Chops, his so-called friends and acquaintances.

Mr Chops glimpses the richer side of life after we entertainingly hear of his struggle to woo the fat lady from Norfolk, with Dickens effectively having written a mini-morality play on his situation.

Callow then sparkled as cheap jack Dr Marigold, having the audience eating out of his hand as he runs through sales patter, explaining how the punters are lured in to buy things they never knew they needed.

Dickens being Dickens, though, we are soon plunged into a world where Dr M’s wife turns on their daughter but he – Dr M that is – finds himself gaining a measure of happiness from his selfless help of another bullied young woman.

Bruno Clements