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CNA Staff, Dec 16, 2024 / 07:00 am
An immersive Catholic-produced audio adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas novel is climbing the podcast charts this Advent.
“A Christmas Carol: An Audio Advent Calendar” was produced by The Merry Beggars, a Catholic entertainment company founded in 2019 — and now part of Relevant Radio — that aims to create highly-produced, uplifting audio that families can listen to together.
The 25-part series, which features short episodes released one day at a time throughout Advent, is available for free on The Merry Beggars’ website as well as on any podcast app. The website also includes resources for teachers and parents such as coloring pages and an activity book.
Though not brand new — the audio drama debuted in 2021 and is being rereleased for a fourth year this Advent — the program has seen particular success this year, surpassing 1 million downloads and peaking for a time at No. 1 on Apple Podcasts’ Fiction charts.
Peter Atkinson, founder and executive producer of The Merry Beggars, told CNA that the idea for the audio production came from a book he and his siblings read when he was a child that split the story of “A Christmas Carol” into 25 small sections for Advent. Atkinson said he found himself returning to the beloved story year after year as an adult.
“I honestly find it really hard to listen to ‘A Christmas Carol’ without crying. Because to me, the story touches on the depths of the human heart,” Atkinson said.
Peter Atkinson, founder and executive producer of The Merry Beggars. Credit: The Merry BeggarsAtkinson said the story of “A Christmas Carol” is one of “redemption and conversion” that showcases how a person can be brought out of selfishness and hatred into a generous and joyful existence.
The story contrasts the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge, who is driven by fear and a need to grasp on to money, safety, and security, with the generous Fezziwig, who is a successful businessman and yet “has detachment from created things, from money,” because he lavishly spends what he has on his family, friends, employees, and the poor.
“I think the beauty of spending on hospitality, on welcoming other people, on seeing Christ in others … whether it’s in your home, whether it’s at your company, wherever you are … I think it speaks to the depths of the human heart,” Atkinson said.
The production, which features professional voice actors and an immersive soundscape, differs from most other adaptations of Dickens’ novel because it “preserves Charles Dickens’ voice in the story,” making him the narrator and thus “a character in the story,” Atkinson said.
The production of the audio drama took only two weeks to complete in 2021, but the recording process was challenging, involving creative solutions like makeshift soundproofing and last-minute casting changes. Despite the whirlwind, the program saw success as soon as it debuted, reaching No. 3 on the Fiction charts in past years.
Atkinson said the program’s particular success this year is likely due to word-of-mouth among Catholic families. He said he hopes other families will check out the episodes and enjoy the timeless story about “serving and loving our neighbor.”
“My hope is that the audiences listening to this production will be filled with the same joy and hope and beauty that I experience every time that I’ve listened to it. There’s something about the story of ‘A Christmas Carol’ that makes you want to listen to it every single year,” he said.
Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.
