The Chimes, Charles Dickens A Live Radio Play (The Met)

The Chimes: Dickens on Air

‘A Festive Story to Ring the Old Year Out and the New Year In.’

It is Christmas 1950 in New York and the actors of WAFR: Playhouse of the Air gather for their annual festive broadcast…There is a new government, a new hope, a new world, so what better than a new play? And there is no better story-teller than Charles Dickens – and there is no better man to keep Christmas than he!

Trotty Veck is a ticket-porter – a man who fetches and carries packages, letters and deliveries for a small sixpence here and there. He doesn’t have much but he is happy, gentle and lives a simple, obedient life.
That life is given its order by the sound of the bells of his local church – breakfast, lunch, din-ner all from the sound of the bells. He sometimes even hears them speaking to him…
In the run-up to the festive season Trotty falls asleep after a long day’s carrying and deliver-ing. Woken by the church bells, The Chimes, and then summoned up the tower by their mys-terious power, he has just one chance to change this world… but will he listen to the bells?
The Chimes is a Victorian It’s a Wonderful Life filled with all of the master story-teller’s colour-ful characters and heart-rending poignancy.

Fresh their hugely popular adaptations of A Christmas Carol and Casablanca, Lighthouse Theatre brings their signature live radio play style to this classic by the most theatrical of au-thors. There will be jingles, carols, music and – of course – bells!…this show is sure to be fast and funny, inventive and entertaining; but most of all a Christmas treat to reinforce the mes-sage of this festive time of the year…

Recommended for ages 10+

Book Now

Tuesday, 17 Nov 2026 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Book

Share this event:

The Met

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Book this event

{"name":"The Chimes, Charles Dickens A Live Radio Play (The Met)","description":"The Chimes: Dickens on Air\r\n\r\n'A Festive Story to Ring the Old Year Out and the New Year In.'\r\n\r\nIt is Christmas 1950 in New York and the actors of WAFR: Playhouse of the Air gather for their annual festive broadcast...There is a new government, a new hope, a new world, so what better than a new play? And there is no better story-teller than Charles Dickens - and there is no better man to keep Christmas than he! \r\n\r\nTrotty Veck is a ticket-porter \u2013 a man who fetches and carries packages, letters and deliveries for a small sixpence here and there. He doesn\u2019t have much but he is happy, gentle and lives a simple, obedient life.\r\nThat life is given its order by the sound of the bells of his local church \u2013 breakfast, lunch, din-ner all from the sound of the bells. He sometimes even hears them speaking to him\u2026\r\nIn the run-up to the festive season Trotty falls asleep after a long day\u2019s carrying and deliver-ing. Woken by the church bells, The Chimes, and then summoned up the tower by their mys-terious power, he has just one chance to change this world\u2026 but will he listen to the bells?\r\nThe Chimes is a Victorian It\u2019s a Wonderful Life filled with all of the master story-teller\u2019s colour-ful characters and heart-rending poignancy.\r\n\r\nFresh their hugely popular adaptations of A Christmas Carol and Casablanca, Lighthouse Theatre brings their signature live radio play style to this classic by the most theatrical of au-thors. There will be jingles, carols, music and \u2013 of course \u2013 bells!\u2026this show is sure to be fast and funny, inventive and entertaining; but most of all a Christmas treat to reinforce the mes-sage of this festive time of the year\u2026\r\n\r\nRecommended for ages 10+","startDate":"2026-11-17","startTime":"19:30:00","endTime":"21:30:00","location":"The Metropole","label":"Add reminder","options":["Apple","Google","iCal","Microsoft365","Outlook.com","Yahoo"],"trigger":"click","inline":true,"listStyle":"modal","iCalFileName":"the-chimes-charles-dickens-a-live-radio-play-met-event-reminder"}