A Christmas Carol

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A SIGNATURE PERFORMANCE BY TIM CURRY ABOUT?

Yeah, just kidding. We all know.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A SIGNATURE PERFORMANCE BY TIM CURRY?

Really, all this post needs to be is: “Tim Curry read A Christmas Carol” and include a link to purchase. What else do you need? That's pretty much all I needed to read from this post by Bookstooge.

But let me say something about the narration—it's good, it's really good. It's also not what I expected, at least not fully.

I think I went into it anticipating an almost-over-the-top performance, whatever the audio-equivalent of a scenery-chewing showcase of Tim Curry excess. Which would have been delightful, make no mistake. Curry's got one of those voices that would've lent itself to such a thing and I'd have made it an annual listen.

But no, Curry's a pro. And he shows that here. He treats the material with respect and gives just the right emotional weight, sentimentality, personality, and life that the text and characters call for.

One line reading, in particular, made me chuckle (and came as close to what I anticipated as anything does):

“You will be haunted,” resumed the Ghost, “by Three Spirits.”

Scrooge's countenance fell almost as low as the Ghost's had done.

“Is that the chance and hope you mentioned, Jacob?” he demanded, in a faltering voice.
“It is.”

“I—I think I'd rather not,” said Scrooge.