Full casting announced for Deborah McAndrew’s new adaptation for Northern Broadsides of Charles Dickens HARD TIMES
Northern Broadsides are delighted to announce full casting for Deborah McAndrew’s new adaptation of Charles Dickens Hard Times.
Hard Times cast will feature Suzanne Ahmet (Saint George and the Dragon, National Theatre) as Sissy Jupe; Darren Kuppan (Guards at the Taj, Bush Theatre and The Tempest, Globe Theatre) as Mr Harthouse / Bitzer; Vanessa Schofield (Plastic Figures, Box of Tricks)Louisa Gradgrind; Tony Hunt (The Commitments, West End) as Steven Blackpool; Perry Moore (Cyrano, Northern Broadsides and Peter Pan in Scarlet, New Vic Theatre) as Tom Gradgrind; Howard Chadwick (Brassed Off, Oldham Coliseum) as Josiah Bounderby/Strong Man.
Also featuring in the cast will be Victoria Brazier (Three Mothers, Waterloo East) as Rachael and Bitzer; Andrew Price (She Stoops to Conquer, Northern Broadsides) as Thomas Gradgrind; Paul Barnhill (Brassed Off, Oldham Coliseum and Steven Spielberg’s The BFG andReady Player One) as Mr Sleary and Claire Storey (The Cherry Orchard, Nottingham Playhouse) as Mrs Gradgrind/ Mrs Pegler.
Hard Times is directed by Conrad Nelson and will be designed by Dawn Allsopp (Kiss Me Quickstep, New Vic Theatre & Oldham Coliseum) and with lighting by Mark Howland (Pride and Prejudice, Nottingham Playhouse and York Theatre Royal).
Dark satanic mills, interrupted by the colour and vibrancy of Sleary’s Circus, set the stage for a sweeping tale of supressed love, seduction and social mores, peopled with the sharply observed exaggerated characters that Dickens is celebrated for.
The production will open at the Viaduct Theatre Halifax, from 16-24 February and will then tour to The Dukes Lancaster; The Lowry Salford; Liverpool Playhouse; New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme; Stephen Joseph Theatre; Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield; Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and West Yorkshire Playhouse.
For more information visit www.northern-broadsides.co.uk
LISTINGS
Opening Venue
Fri 16- Sat 24 Feb at 7.30pm & Sun Feb at 4pm & (Mat performance: 24 Feb at 2.30pm)
The Viaduct Theatre, Halifax
Box Office 01422 255 266 or www.deanclough.com
Press night: Tuesday 20 February at 7.30pm
TOUR DATES
Tue 27 Feb – Sat 3 Mar The Dukes, Lancaster –Box Office: 01524 598500 or
Tue 6- Sat 10 Mar The Lowry, Salford Quays –Box Office: 0843 2086000http://www.thelowry.com/
Tue 27-Sat 31 Mar – Liverpool Playhouse –Box office: 0151 7094776 https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/
Wed 4- Sat 14 Apr New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme –Box Office 01782 717962 orwww.newvictheatre.org.uk
Tue 17– Sat 21 Apr Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough –Box Office: 01723 370541https://www.sjt.uk.com/
Wed 2-Sat 5 May Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield –Box Office: 01484 430528http://www.thelbt.org/
Wed 16- Sat 19 May Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds –Box Office: 01284 469505http://www.theatreroyal.org/
Tue 22- Sat 26 May West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds-Box Office: 0113 213 7700 or www.wyp.org.uk