A Victorian Christmas with Charles Dickens
adapted by John Vance from readings by Dickens
JV Productions, 2000-1 season
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John was putting together a one-man show in which he would read lots of Dickens pieces. (Turned out to be a fine show.) He brought me the picture you see at left above and asked if I could duplicate the special table that Dickens carried around on his tours. I scaled the reproduction so it would look the same size on John as Dickens' table did on him. It is strictly stage furniture in that you can't stand too close to it and still get the effect.
The body of the table is made from run-of-yard lumber, 2x2 and 3/8 inch plywood and so forth. The black leather top is dashboard vinyl. The technique for the legs took some time but was quite simple in the end: Sand. Coat of flat black paint, sand. Second coat of flat black, sand. Third coat of flat black, leave alone. Mix a wash from a slightly reddish-brown and apply to the legs, then quickly wipe off with rags. Not a bad look, but as I say, you can't examine it too closely. A second wash in a lighter color might have been an improvement. I used a similar treatment on the book holder under John's left hand in the photo at top right.
| Approved Ben Teague web site |
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Dickens Xmas