Signal-Man & Trial performed by James Swanton. Christmas 2026
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Ticket price: £25 - Standard Ticket £22 - Access Ticket (with free Companion Ticket available) How to book tickets:
Please note that demand for this annual event is always high and will likely sell-out fast. Option to donate: GiftAid is quick, easy, and it doesn't cost you any extra, all you need is to be a UK taxpayer. For every £1 you spend today, we receive another 25p in government support. Inclusions:
Dates and times for 2026: 60 minutes Content: Suitable for 12+ years.
49 Doughty Street. Just as Dickens was known to entertain his guests in his own Drawing Room so will you experience this performance in a similar setting within the Museum. The performance space can be accessed via the lift. Doors will open 10 minutes prior to the start time. Due to the small size of the theatre space, no latecomers will be admitted. Terms and conditions: Please note that all event tickets are non-refundable. More here. Queries: Please email the Events team; events@dickensmuseum.com |
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The monstrous thought came into my mind, as I perused the fixed eyes and the saturnine face, that this was a spirit, not a man. A red light. A black tunnel. A waving figure. A warning beyond understanding. And the fear that someone – that something – is drawing closer... The Signal-Man is one of the most powerful ghost stories of all time, and certainly the most frightening ever written by Charles Dickens. It is paired here with The Trial for Murder, in which Dickens treats the supernatural with just as much terrifying gravity. This delightfully macabre double bill was described by renowned horror novelist Ramsey Campbell as ‘an unforgettable experience’ thanks to the ‘prodigious and extraordinary talent’ of actor James Swanton.
No stranger to cooling the blood, James has appeared as screen monsters in Apartment 7A (Paramount), The First Omen (20th Century Studios) and Tarot (Sony). He’s also played the title roles in two BBC chillers: 'The Curse of the Ninth' in Inside No. 9 and Lot No. 249, Mark Gatiss's Ghost Story for Christmas, for which The Telegraph called James ‘the scariest man on TV’. His work with Dickens includes his one-man play Sikes & Nancy at the West End's Trafalgar Studios (‘startling and enthralling’ – Simon Callow) and sell-out seasons of the Christmas Books at the Charles Dickens Museum (‘it couldn't have been more vivid!’ – Miriam Margolyes). Join our lone storyteller as he delves into Dickens's most sinister explorations of the spirit world. What better way to celebrate the darkest months of the year?
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 Photo credit: Nicholas Dawkes
Praise for Swanton’s Dickens shows: ‘Highly engaging … A spectacular performance … Shines a light on how audiences would have originally enjoyed Dickens’s work’ – Huffington Post ‘A tour de force; a masterclass in character portrayal … A quite brilliant piece of theatre’ – The Latest (★★★★★) 'An incredible presence on stage … This is storytelling at its finest, no post-modern irony or knowing asides needed’ – The Big Issue ‘James didn’t just tell the story, he became the story … Truly amazing … Taught me so much not only about Charles Dickens but about the craft of acting itself’ – London Theatre 1 (★★★★★) ‘If you want a masterclass in one-man theatre, there’s no finer place to be’ – London City Nights
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Live theatre - Dates throughout December. For 12+ years. From £25.