Hard Times
Book, music and lyrics by Christopher Tookey and Hugh Thomas. From the novel by Charles Dickens
Theatre Royal, Haymarket - Opened 6 June, 2000. Closed 4 August, 2000
Synopsis
Dicken's critique of the brutal realities of of Victorian industrial capitalism is presented as a circus, based on the appearance in the novel of Samuel Sleary's travelling circus, the performers in which act out the story of Hard Times .
Songs include
- The Greatest Show On Earth
- One Of These Days
- When I Was A Boy
- Spring
- Another Town Tomorrow
- A Modern Marriage Pact
Cast (with original performers)
- Mr Charles Dickens - Brian Blessed
- Miss Amelia Fidget - Susan Jane Tanner
- P C Ned Horrocks - Russell Wilcox
- Mr Bartholomew Bentley - Philip Cox
- Mr Samuel Sleary - Roy Hudd
- Mr E W B Childers - Peter Blake
- Mr Marmaduke Manley - Malcolm Rennie
- Mrs Sleary - Ann Emery
- Miss Sally Sleary - Jan Graveson
- Miss Josephine Sleary - Helen Anker
- Master Sammy Sleary - Matt Rawle
- Miss Emma Gordon - Alicia Davies
- Mr Billy Brighton - Matthew Storey
- Mr Ted Vol Becque - Tim Laurenti
- Mr Fred Vol Becque - Steve Fortune
- Whimsical Walker - Ray C Davis
- Signor Felix Revolt! - Philip Cox
- Mr Toby Lilo - Leon Webster
- Miss Agnes Hengler - Lucy Harris
- Miss Horne Transfeld - Lesley-Anne Johnson
- Lero the Great - Jamie Read
- Mr Alonzo Vol Becque - John Stacey
- Miss Pauline Violante - Rachel Spry
- Miss Lily Forepaugh - Rebecca Ryan
- Zazel - Delia Du Sol
Director: Christopher Tookey
Decor: Gemma Fripp
Lighting: Zerina Hughes
Sound: Scott Myers
Choreography: Craig Revel Horwood
Orchestration: Mark Warman
Musical Director James Burton
Assistant director Graham Gill