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It’s time for another Dickensian Christmas courtesy of Average Romp.

Following the critically-acclaimed release of The Chimes in 2022, Average Romp presents two more full-cast adaptations of Charles Dickens’ Christmas stories; The Cricket on the Hearth and The Haunted Man. They have not been dramatised for live-action film or television in the past century, so this gives listeners an opportunity to enjoy two stories they are unlikely to have seen before.

Both are available now from www.averageromp.com

The Cricket on the Hearth (originally published in 1845) concerns a carrier called John Peerybingle who fears his wife Dot may be unfaithful to him due to their age difference. The story also features an ill-matched wedding between the imperious factory owner Tackleton and the free-spirited May. A supernatural element is provided by a talking cricket that speaks to John after a drunken night out.

Here, it is adapted by Eddie Robson (writer of Welcome To Our Village, Please Invade Carefully for Radio 4 and the acclaimed novel Drunk On All Your Strange New Words). The cast for this heartwarming and comedic tale includes:

Graham Fellows (“John Shuttleworth”) as John Peerybingle; Jason Forbes (King & Conqueror) as Edward; Geoff Leesley (Bergerac, Brookside) as Tackleton; Tony Marshall (All Quiet on the Preston Front, Life on Mars) as Caleb; Bronté Barbé (Doctor Who, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!) as Dot; Rosa Escoda (Line of Duty) as May; and Katie Moore (The Paradise) as Bertha.

The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain: A Fancy for Christmas-Time, to give it its full title, is a darker tale about a scientist called Redlaw who is consumed by regret. Visited by a spirit in the form of his own shadow, he is given the chance to forget his troubles. However, this gift manifests as an infection and when other characters lose their sorrows we see how they are changed for the worse.

Like The Chimes, it is adapted by Jonathan Morris (writer/producer of V:UK for Big Finish, amongst many other things). The cast for this grim and sinister tale includes:

Paterson Joseph (The Sandman, Wonka) as Redlaw; Jeff Rawle (Drop the Dead Donkey, Hollyoaks) as Philip; Tim Speyer (of the Royal Shakespeare Company) as William; Dan Starkey (Doctor Who, Gunpowder Siege) as Charles Dickens; Matthew Steer (Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War) as Tetterby; Rosie Baker (The Hound of the Baskervilles) as Sophia; and Tilly Vosburgh (EastEnders, Inside Man) as Milly.

The productions reunite the team behind The Chimes: director Lisa Bowerman and sound designer/composer Howard Carter. The cover artwork is by Clayton Hickman and the plays were recorded at the Soundhouse Studio, London.

Both productions are 55 minutes in duration and can be purchased together for £12. They are not available individually but can be purchased at a discount with The Chimes.