One of the responsibilities of Fezziwig’s is to close the fair. Around 6:45, this begins with the Hallelujah Chorus. After the chorus, Ebenezer Scrooge (the elder) meets Ebenezer Scrooge (the younger) through the Magic of Christmas. Please be quiet and give focus to the Ebenezers during this scene. It is improvised daily and anything can happen. (Don't believe me? There was this one time when Ebenezer asked Belle to run off to London with him, and they were in London!)
After the magic of Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig and Ebenezer and Belle lead us in singing some Christmas carols, usually starting with Joy to the World, and then leading a procession, two by two, out of the warehouse to We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The procession stops with Mr. Fezziwig on one side of the exit, and Mrs. Fezziwig on the other, and we sing a few more carols, wish our guests the best of the season, and then conclude with We Wish You a Merry Christmas once again as we process back into the warehouse.
Following our return to the warehouse, we generally head straight to the bleachers for a few important notes. Please proceed directly to the bleachers; do not run backstage, do not collect your things. We'll keep it brief. You may begin undressing during notes if you are so inclined assuming you do it quietly and avoid distracting the directors.
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Our day begins early because the windows of the Fezziwig warehouse look out into the lobby where our guests congregate before they come inside. Any time between 10:15 and 10:45 (this is dictated by Fair Management) the guests are let into Fezziwig’s Warehouse to find many of Mr. Dickens characters waiting to greet them. They are kept in Fezziwig’s throughout Opening Tableau. Please escort our guests towards the bleachers and chairs where they can best see the tableau. Two or three cast members are helpful in front of Mr. Fezziwig's desk and the stage to keep a clear space for Mr. Dickens and Stage Management's view.
At five minutes to eleven, the lights go down. The spotlight goes up on Mr. Dickens, who welcomes them to this time and this place in London. He then proceeds to introduce several of his characters from various book (usually David Copperfield, the Artful Dodger and Oliver, Pip and Miss Havisham, Nicholas Nickleby, the Crachetts and Mr. Scrooge, the chimney sweeps, the Fezziwig Daughters, and finally, old Mr. Fezziwig himself). It is important to remain quiet during tableau both on stage and back stage. Once this is done, he welcomes the guests to Christmas in London and the curtain parts to reveal the rest of the fair. Bangers and Mash (our beloved band) strikes up a waltz as the guests go out to explore and the rest of us have a dance.
Generally, the first waltz is followed by a Grand March. Please be advised that the march frequently gets too long and Fezziwig couples should excuse themselves if this happens. |
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The cast of Fezziwig's pride themselves on the fact that they open and close Dickens Fair. This means that we are the first thing patrons see when they arrive at Fair opening, and are the last thing patrons see when they leave at close of Fair. We feel we are the hardest working group in Fair, but we aren't slave drivers.
In a normal Fair day, cast members work in shifts. Shifts begin with a dance set and end with the conclusion of the games set. Cast members usually get two shifts off during the day and are free to leave the warehouse once Siamsa, an Irish/Scottish dance troupe, has begun their set. Although it is a long day, there are many opportunities to take a break and enjoy the Fair.
Here is a sample daily schedule: |
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