Hard Times
Published on 1. September 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-906582-48-7 (ISBN)
Description
Original by Charles Dickens
Adapted for the stage by Charles Way
Dominated by Gradgrind and Bounderby, Coketown's prosperity is built on the cotton mills where thousands of men and women slave away for long hours and little pay. Gradgrind's obsession with material progress damages his children Louisa and Tom, leading to scandal and disaster. Hard Times celebrates the importance of the human heart in an age obsessed with materialism. Circus, music, and dark comedy all go into the rich mix of this truly Dickensian theatrical tale.
Adapted for the stage by Charles Way
Dominated by Gradgrind and Bounderby, Coketown's prosperity is built on the cotton mills where thousands of men and women slave away for long hours and little pay. Gradgrind's obsession with material progress damages his children Louisa and Tom, leading to scandal and disaster. Hard Times celebrates the importance of the human heart in an age obsessed with materialism. Circus, music, and dark comedy all go into the rich mix of this truly Dickensian theatrical tale.
Reviews / Votes
"A stellar adaptation by Charles Way, moving, thoughtful and wonderfully drawn." What's on Stage *****"Way gives real depth to characters, replaces Dickens' sentimentality with warmth and his censoriousness with moral indignation." The Independent *****
"Daringly restructures Dickens' plot, yet sticks to the motto of his lisping ringmaster Mr Sleary: People mutht be amuthed." Observer
"Charles Way's new adaptation uses no narration-it is so refreshing to see a Dickens adaptation that isn't like having sections of the book read to you-apart from when the actors tell us what eventually happens to their characters right at the end. It also doesn't bite off more than it can chew, using only storylines that can be told in sufficient detail to make sense and tie in with other elements of the plot." British Theatre Guide
"A re-reading of the novel showed Way's adaptation to be faithful to the original, including the pathos and the humour." Manchester Theatre Awards
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Twickenham
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Aurora Metro Publications
Target group
Interest Age: From 4 to 9 years
ISBN-13
978-1-906582-48-7 (9781906582487)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)
Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was the eldest male
child in a large family. His father was a naval clerk who
was often in debt and Dickens was sent to work at an early
age in a shoe polish factory. Initially, he sold his writing
in monthly instalments and became one of Great Britain's
most popular novelists. During a prolific writing career
he gave many public readings and wrote several novels
which have since become classics such as Oliver Twist,
A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield,
A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. He died
before finishing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, his final
novel.
Charles Way
Charles Way has written over forty plays. He writes for
adults, young people and children and his work has been
performed widely across the world. He has won several
major awards including the Arts Council's Children's
Award for Red, Red Shoes and the German Young People's
Theatre Prize for Missing. His most recent works are
Ragnarok for Eastern Angles Theatre, Nivelli's War and
The Gift, both for Cahoots NI. He is well known for his
versions of famous tales including, Wanted, Robin Hood,
The Snow Queen and many others. He has written several
plays for radio and a TV poem for BBC2 No Borders set
on the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most
of his creative life.
Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was the eldest male
child in a large family. His father was a naval clerk who
was often in debt and Dickens was sent to work at an early
age in a shoe polish factory. Initially, he sold his writing
in monthly instalments and became one of Great Britain's
most popular novelists. During a prolific writing career
he gave many public readings and wrote several novels
which have since become classics such as Oliver Twist,
A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield,
A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. He died
before finishing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, his final
novel.
Charles Way
Charles Way has written over forty plays. He writes for
adults, young people and children and his work has been
performed widely across the world. He has won several
major awards including the Arts Council's Children's
Award for Red, Red Shoes and the German Young People's
Theatre Prize for Missing. His most recent works are
Ragnarok for Eastern Angles Theatre, Nivelli's War and
The Gift, both for Cahoots NI. He is well known for his
versions of famous tales including, Wanted, Robin Hood,
The Snow Queen and many others. He has written several
plays for radio and a TV poem for BBC2 No Borders set
on the Welsh borders, where he lives and has spent most
of his creative life.