The Box Car of Fun
This is the second novel in the series by Chris England set against the backdrop of pre-First World War music halls and vaudeville. Both novels feature Arthur Dandoe as the main character. The curtain rises on the story of rivalry between the young comedians Charlie Chaplin and Dandoe in 1910, and falls in 1913.
The portrayal of Chaplin and Dandoe can only be described as captivating. Chaplin’s insecurity, egotism and determination to monopolise the affections of Tilly Beckett, who Dandoe falls in love with, are masterfully contrasted with Dandoe’s ambitions and aspirations. His foremost desire was to advance in the comedians’ hierarchy that formed part of Fred Karno’s immensely successful Edwardian ‘Fun Factory’ and to avoid the jealous spitefulness of Chaplin. Much of the action takes place in a box car hired to transport the cast across America by train. The appealing descriptions of America during the period, from bustling Los Angeles to copper-rich Butte, Montana, and to the ‘shimmering heat’ of Salt Lake City and the often less-than-salubrious accommodation where the cast boarded, all help to set the stage for the appearance of eccentric but believable characters, such as Whimsical Walker whose style of clowning fails to impress Chaplin. The novel provides insights into the growing popularity of the ‘Marx boys’, Mack Sennett’s Keystone cops and the arrival of silent comedy films as a rival to the slapstick humour provided by the Fun Factory.
This novel is a remarkable achievement because it seamlessly blends fact and fiction. The characters and plot carry readers along as if we were fellow thespians accompanying them through their squabbles and successes. Excellent, engaging and highly entertaining, this is historical fiction writing at its very best.
