Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was the eldest male child in a large family. His father was a naval clerk who was often in debt and Dickens was sent to work at an early age in a shoe polish factory. Initially, he sold his writing in monthly instalments and became one of Great Britain’s most popular novelists. During a prolific writing career he gave many public readings and wrote several novels which have since become classics such as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. He died before finishing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, his final novel. Charles Way Charles Way has written over forty plays. He writes for adults, young people and children and his work has been performed widely across the world. He has won several major awards including the Arts Council’s Children’s Award for Red, Red Shoes and the German Young People’s Theatre Prize for Missing. His most recent works are Ragnarok for Eastern Angles Theatre, Nivelli’s War and The Gift, both for Cahoots NI. He is well known for his versions of famous tales including, Wanted, Robin Hood, The Snow Queen and many others. He has written several plays for radio and a TV poem for BBC2 No Borders set on the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most of his creative life.