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By Mark A Leon
How often has the phrase, “it’s a small world” come into your personal narrative? Perhaps never more poignant than the 23rd Annual Dickens Dinner at Circa 1886 this past Thursday.
After spending a charming evening of eloquent storytelling of Tim Lowry which fell nothing short of a Broadwayesque one-person narration of Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” the room, unassisted, found their way to the corner of the upstairs dining room of Circa 1886 in a community group photo. Yet, behind all the smiles and the common shared experience, new individual friendships arose.
Friendships inspired from Dickens
Let me share one. Using the phrase “middle man” is an understatement. After spending much of the evening conversating with a wonderful couple from North Myrtle Beach to my left, I uncovered a true love story. After meeting and courting in college and then moving on to separate lives and families, this couple re-united 25 years later to discover a love that still remained.
Now 25 years removed from their second encounter, they are about to celebrate their fourth grandchild this coming April. If she is named Ashley, I won’t take full responsibility, but may have helped.
That isn’t the complete story…
At the end of the night, it was discovered, over a discussion about Christmas prime rib with the couple to my right (told you I was the middle man), that these two couples have residences less than one mile from one another in North Myrtle Beach.
After exchanging numbers (pen and paper) they have a started to formulate a future steak dinner couples date.
That delightful couple to my right, whose primary residence is Mount Pleasant had their own 2025 miracle story. The gentleman survived a stroke which MUSC Health doctors gave a 5% – 10% chance of survival. Not only survived but a full recovery and let me tell you, he looked great. After telling the story and recalling reading the notes of the surgery from MUSC, he described the event and his life as humbling and fortunate.
An amazing night of unexpected relationship building centered around one of the most important literary storytellers in history under the roof of a heralded culinary institutes.
Now that is a Charleston story!
A Night of Memorable Dining and Storytelling
Tim Lowry, author, storyteller, historical ambassador and now honored to be partnering with Circa 1886 for his 23rd year, is a gift.
A true storyteller whose timing, charm, eloquent demeanor and passion to bring life to words was engrossing. To see his smiling face slide in and out of the dining room between each of the four courses filled the heart with a sense of childhood wonder. Tim brought to life Dickens and Scrooge in a way I have never witnessed.
Channeling the characters both living and spirited with zest, determination and raw emotional power was brilliantly choreographed.
With carefully placed banter and ad lib sensibility, Tim dictated the flow of the narrative while connecting with each of us in his own way. An entertainer, through and through.
The 23rd Annual Dickens Dinner was one of the most authentic and beautifully traditional Christmas themed events I have been fortunate enough to attend this season in Charleston.
Thank you Tim, Circa 1886 and Charming Inns.
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