CHILDREN and the young at heart are packing out Oxford’s Pegasus Theatre for a quirky take on Charles Dickens.

This year’s Christmas production at the Magdalen Road theatre is What the Dickens?, presented by Gonzo Moose theatre company, described as a physical comedy fairytale.

The audiences are immersed in an interactive Victorian experience with characters from history and fiction as soon as they enter the building, then are introduced to rookie reporter Charles Dickens as he stumbles on the story of a lifetime.

Gonzo Moose director Mark Conway, who plays Dickens, said: “The best way to describe it is a Dickensian comedy mystery with lots of visual gags for the kids and verbal gags for the adults, so it works on two levels.”

It launched last Friday and will continue until December 30, with special school showings alongside evening performances.

  • Visit pegasustheatre.org.uk for tickets.