Holiday Special (2025): Egil's Yuletide Carol

Saga Thing

Gleðileg jól frá Saga Thing! Long before Charles Dickens penned his beloved A Christmas Carol, a well-known and infamous Icelander seems to have had a similar idea. While less wholesome and optimistic than the Dickens classic, there’s surely a lesson somewhere in this tale that we’re calling Egil’s Yuletide Carol.

Inspired by the 1930s radio dramatizations of A Christmas Carol starring Lionel Barrymore, we’ve tried our hand at producing a radioplay of our own here. Such an undertaking involves a lot of help from friends and family. Our thanks to all who contributed.

Cast (in order of appearance)

John Sexton: Narrator, Egil, Old Egil, and Servant Woman 2

Andy Pfrenger: Ketil Cratchet, Olaf Peacock, Thorolf Skallagrimsson, Skallagrim Kveldulfsson, Snorri Sturluson, and Other Voices

Wendy Pfrenger: Thorgerd Egilsdottir

Heather Nabbefeld: Thorgerd Brak

Sebastian Pfrenger: Grim Heggjason and Servant 2

Johnny Sexton: Very Young Egil

Carl Sexton: Young Egil

Gwen Pfrenger: Bera Yngvarsdottir (Egil’s Mother) and Other Kid

Joshua Eyler: Arinbjorn

With Rex Factor’s own Graham Duke guest starring as King Athelstan

Share your thoughts on this holiday special through our social media and let us know what you think the moral of the story might be.

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Music Credits

Intro Music – “Prelude and Action” by Kevin MacLeod (now with sleigh bells)
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-action

Egil’s Yuletide Carol Theme Music – “Canon and Variation” by Twin Musicom
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Narrator’s Music – “Drømde mik en drøm i nat is” performed by Mare Balticum

Brunanburh Party Music – “Cantina Band” composed by John Williams and performed on hammered dulcimer by TheEadgyth and Kravik Lyre – Nordic Folk Music (instrumental) by A Tergo Lupi

Egil’s Poetry Music – “Einvaldi” by Herknungr