It was in middle school when I discovered my love of Eric Nicol’s satirical works thanks to a library copy of The Joy of Hockey. Since then I have been on the lookout for more of Eric Nicol’s books whenever I’ve entered a used book store, and I’ve managed to put together a moderate sampling of his works. Among the books I’ve added to my collection is Dickens of the Mounted, a series of letters written by Frank Dickens, son of Charles Dickens, as he served twelve years with the Northwest Mounted Police. The letters, of course, are concocted by Nicol, but with a great degree of historical accuracy; as a matter of fact, any details I’ve been able to find regarding the life of Frank Dickens were accurately portrayed in Dickens of the Mounted.
I had not taken the time to read the novel until recently when I heard that a theatre adaptation would be performed this summer at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod. This was sufficient motivation for me to finally crack the book open for what was a thoroughly enjoyable and witty read. Justin Michael Carriere’s one-man performance was equally entertaining.
The problem with the performance: it was poorly attended. We arrived as early as we could to secure good seats, but sadly that wasn’t a concern. For such a funny and well-acted performance that is so historically relevant to this area, I was expecting a much larger turnout.
Fortunately, it’s not too late for you! There are two more showings of Dickens of the Mounted, August 27th and 28th at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, and tickets are only $12. I highly encourage you to head out, spend some time in Fort Macleod’s historic downtown, and enjoy the show.