Hard Times is a Dickens of a great performance
While most members of the public will be familiar with the many works of Charles Dickens a few - like his tenth novel Hard Times for These Times, which dealt with the social and economic pressures of the period - do not immediately spring to mind ... writes Mike Boxer.
Dickens’ moving tale of all the heartache and social adversities of those involved in the Industrial Revolution has been brilliantly adapted for the stage by Stephen Jeffreys.
Set in various locations around the imaginary but aptly-named Coketown in Northern England, it is a fast moving story beautifully acted out by the resident ensemble of actors and forms the last in this year’s repertoire of productions being presented at the Festival Theatre in Pitlochry.
Using clever but minimalistic settings which occupied the full width and depth of the stage with minimal props, a whole feast of imaginative locations were created and the fluidity of the set allowed the whole production to flow seamlessly from one situation to another.
Not only did the cast have to undertake the parts of the many characters in the play but also smoothly move the simple open flats into their new positions without disrupting the narrative.
The arrival of the steam train into the dimly lit station with the sound effects and billowing smoke was joy to behold.
Set designer Becky Minto on her first venture to Pitlochry assisted by Wayne Dowdeswell’s superb lighting really captured the drama in Dickens’ writing.
The story is typical of Dickens with the various characters representing the themes of industrialisation, education and utilitarianism in the sweeping Industrial Revolution of the 1850s.
Schoolmaster Thomas Gradgrind, played by Dougal Lee, bases his education on cold hard facts, imagination is not allowed which has painful effect on two of his children, Louisa (Hannah Howie) and Tom (Lee Dillon-Stuart).
Catching his children watching a circus act he is persuaded by mill owner Josiah Bounderby played by Greg Powrie to take on the education of Sissy Jupe (Tabitha Tingey) who has been abandoned by her father, a circus performer.
Seeing advantages to his own objectives Gradgrind marries off his daughter to Bounderby a man of wealth and influence.
Louisa finds no love in the arrangement while her brother Tom sees advantages in working in Bounderby’s bank and seizes the opportunity of lining his pockets.
Problems are stirring up at the Mill as the workers seek to form a union to protect their wages and jobs with the exception of Stephen Blackpool played by Mark Elstob who does not wish to join the union and is ostracised and eventually fired from his job.
Blackpool is persuaded to hang around the Bank by Tom and when the eventual discovery of the loss of money comes to light, Blackpool is immediately blamed as the thief, but Loiusa suspecting her brother’s involvement assists in Stephen’s departure from Coketown.
The arrival of James Harthouse, with a letter of introduction from Gradgrind, now a Member of Parliament, meets Bounderby and becomes a frequent visitor in the household. Harthouse has hopes of going to Parliament.
However, meeting Louisa his attentions are drawn to her and hopes to seduce her away from Bounderby.
Spied on by Bounderby’s housekeeper (Amanda Osborne) Louisa flees to her father and reveals the unhappiness she has felt since childhood, he softens as he realises the mistakes he made in her education.
Louisa stays with him, cared for by Sissy. Blame for the robberies now fall on Tom who flees abroad assisted by Louisa and others.
This thrilling, moving and uplifting story of betrayal, sacrifice and redemption is brought vividly to life by the use of narrators (members of the cast) who keep the flow of the storyline moving.
Director Clare Prenton, who made her debut in 2015 with Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy Improbable Fiction, has brought the script vividly to life.
Hard Times forms the final part of the repertoire of productions being performed at this year’s Summer Season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
For details of performances contact the Theatre website, or the box office on 01796 484626.