--- title: "Dickens: The Readings | Assembly Festival" meta: "og:description": "'There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.' Dickens knew it then. We're counting on it now. Over 150 years since Charles Dickens last stood on an Edinburgh stage for his legendary Public Readings, now, his greatest works return – alive, unfiltered and different every day. Each performance pairs a fresh Dickens text with a Fringe performer: well-known faces, a surprise or two and the electric uncertainty of a story meeting its teller. You know his greatest stories but along with them there are so many more." "og:title": "Dickens: The Readings" "twitter:description": "'There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.' Dickens knew it then. We're counting on it now. Over 150 years since Charles Dickens last stood on an Edinburgh stage for his legendary Public Readings, now, his greatest works return – alive, unfiltered and different every day. Each performance pairs a fresh Dickens text with a Fringe performer: well-known faces, a surprise or two and the electric uncertainty of a story meeting its teller. You know his greatest stories but along with them there are so many more." "twitter:title": "Dickens: The Readings" description: "'There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.' Dickens knew it then. We're counting on it now. Over 150 years since Charles Dickens last stood on an Edinburgh stage for his legendary Public Readings, now, his greatest works return – alive, unfiltered and different every day. Each performance pairs a fresh Dickens text with a Fringe performer: well-known faces, a surprise or two and the electric uncertainty of a story meeting its teller. You know his greatest stories but along with them there are so many more." --- # Dickens: The Readings [**← **Back to What's On](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on) [ ![Dickens: The Readings](https://assemblyfestival.com/_vercel/image?url=https:%2F%2Fassemblyfestival.pazaz.studio%2Fassets%2Fd7384c3d-960b-4887-aa10-88259ec3a58f?width=360%26height=360%26format=webp&w=1536&q=100) # Dickens: The Readings **22 readings. 22 performances. 22 different journeys into the world of Dickens.** Nearly 160 years after his last appearance in Edinburgh, Charles Dickens’s celebrated readings return to the stage. In each performance, a different Dickens story, scene or character is brought vividly to life by one of the Festival’s favourite performers. The most famous author-performer of the Victorian age drew audiences who laughed, cried and sometimes even fainted at his readings. Now, his words once again take centre stage in a unique celebration of storytelling. Introduction recorded by Jack Dee. ★★★★★ _Get Your Coats On★★★★ EdinburghGuide.com_ ## Readings Line-up | 06 Aug | Paul Foot - A Christmas Carol | | --- | --- | | 07 Aug | Frank Skinner - Sikes and Nancy | | 08 Aug | Lorna Rose Treen - The Trial of Bardell v. Pickwick | | 09 Aug | Mark Steel - Doctor Marigold | | 10 Aug | Bebe Cave - Great Expectations | | 11 Aug | Olga Koch - Sketches by Boz | | 13 Aug | Emmeline Downie - Mrs Gamp | | 14 Aug | Gail Porter - David Copperfield | | 15 Aug | William Thompson - Dotheboys Hall | | 16 Aug | Jess Robinson - Little Nell | | 18 Aug | Susie McCabe - Mrs Lirripers Lodgings | | 19 Aug | Paul Foot - The Cricket on the Hearth | | 20 Aug | John Kearns - The Bastille Prisoner | | 21 Aug | Lara Ricote - Boots at the Holly Tree Inn | | 22 Aug | Ahir Shah - The Chimes | | 23 Aug | Gearóid Farrelly - The Haunted Man | | 25 Aug | Aidan Greene - The Poor Traveller | | 26 Aug | Brian Bilston - The Signal-Man | | 27 Aug | Sanjeev Kolhi - Mr Chops the Dwarf | | 28 Aug | Anna Leong Brophy - Dombey and Son | | 29 Aug | Garrett Millerick - Night Walks | | 30 Aug | Joelle Taylor - The Farewell Reading | _All line-ups are subject to change, please check box office on the day._ [ ## You may also like [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/of-mice-and-men) Theatre Adaptation Classical #### **Of Mice And Men** 28-30 Aug 2026 13:55 **Assembly Rooms** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/of-mice-and-men/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/out-of-the-blue) Music Family-friendly A cappella #### **Out of the Blue** 28-31 Aug 2026 16:30 **Assembly George Square Studios** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/out-of-the-blue/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/krapps-last-tape) Theatre Comedy Drama #### **Krapp's Last Tape** 28-31 Aug 2026 13:25 **Assembly Roxy** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/krapps-last-tape/performances) [ [](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/love-hungry-farmer) Theatre Adaptation Drama #### **The Love Hungry Farmer** 28-30 Aug 2026 12:10 **Assembly Rooms** [Book Now](https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/love-hungry-farmer/performances) [ ### **Follow Us** ### **Sign up to our newsletter** ## 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