DAVID COPPERFIELD
by Charles Dickens, dramatised by Rob Kendall
PRODUCTIONS
Photo: Stu Vincent Photography
Tue 5 - Saturday 10 December 2022 at 7.30pm
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Sheep Street, Northampton NN1 3NL
CAST & CREW
Betsy Trotwood Liz Allan
Mrs Copperfield Corinna Hobbs
David Copperfield (adult) Matthew Widdowson
Davy (boy Copperfield) Oliver Rahn
Trot (youth Copperfield) Robin Burgess
Peggotty Sue Whyte
Mr Mudstone Ian Bradley
Mr Barkis Kevin Pinks
Ham Ben Frazer
Mr Peggotty Craig Macpherson
Little Emily Kirsty Macpherson
Emily (grown) Corina Hobbs
Mrs Gummidge Maggie Holland
Mr Mell Tony Janney
Steerforth Graham Breeze
Mr Creakle Chris Stobart
Mr Omar Chris Stobbart
Minnie Omar Sally Whitestone / Ingrid Heymann
Miss Murdstone Jan Stoppani
Mr Quinion Owen Warr
Mr Micawber Martin Williams
Mrs Micawber Sue Bradley
Tinker 1 Kevin Pinks
Tinker 2 Graham Breeze
Kind man Martin Williams
Mr Dick Tony Janney
Janet Sally Whitestone / Ingrid Heymann
Mr Wickfield Owen Warr
Uriah Heep Ian Bradley
Agnes Wickfield Athana Lesson
Mrs Heap Sue Howes
Waiter Sally Whitestone / Rob Kendall
Mr Spenlow Kevin Pinks
Dora Spenlow Corinna Hobbs
Miss Mills Sue Bradley
Servant to Spenlow Sally Whitestone
Mrs Crupp Sue Howes
Mrs Steerforth Jan Stoppani
Miss Dartle Maggie Holland
Sailors, fisherwomen, Yarmouth folk, carol singers Company members
Director Rob Kendall
Stage Manager Clare Brittain
Continuity Ingrid Heymann
Costume Clare Brittain, Pam Mann
Set Design Rob Kendall
Set Carpenter Mark Mortimer
Lighting Design Phil Welsh
Lighting desk Robert Vaughan
Programme Graham Follett
Website Martin Borley-Cox
Poster / Flyer Design Tamsyn Payne
Masque Booking Manager Elizabeth Allan
Box Office Sue Howes
Hospitality Manager Maggie Holland
Front of House & Refreshments Masque Theatre members
Photo gallery
Photo: Stu Vincent Photography
Review: "New and inspired"
Paul Warren-Roberts
The church was warm and inviting. A prompt start at 7.30pm, the production was presented in the round. Actors proceeded to their positions and this story of a young man's adventures from childhood commenced.
This new and inspired adaptation was well crafted and the actors performed their multiple roles well using the round space to the best advantage, their costumes reflecting the character being played, although at times, the complex staging taking us through David's life was slightly confusing.
The actors used their stagecraft to establish a different character being portrayed with ease and confidence as they entered their position on stage.
Sadly, the constraints of the venue, having a high ceiling over the round space, meant that at times dialogue was lost and especially so for the some actors having limited volume, therefore some of Mr Dickens's most famous phrases were lost.
Praise to Jan Stoppani, Owen Warr, Graham Breeze, Kevin Pinks and particularly Martin Williams for his Mr Micawber, all gave their characters the right level of volume to be heard from all attending on Friday night.
An enjoyable, fast moving production on the whole, but the reviewer thought that the adult David Copperfield, playing both character and story narrator, at times slowed the pace.
Photo: Stu Vincent Photography
Preview
Rob Kendall | adapter and director
Adapting any novel by Charles Dickens can be rather a daunting task especially when there is so much 'story' telling and a cast of 50 odd characters (which I've whittled down to 35).
Needless to say, it means that most of the cast will have at two or three roles to contend with and, of course, changes of costume.
The novel is considered to be autobiographical and, to that end, David Copperfield tells his own story from birth to marriage (twice) and his journey from the Suffolk seaside to London and beyond.
We meet the characters that influence his life. Best known is possibly the ubiquitous Uriah Heep (a swindler) who always professes to be 'umble, and Mr. Micawber who hopes 'something will turn up' to get him out of his financial difficulties.
Looming large, literally, are the characters of Clara Peggotty and Mr. Peggotty who care for the young Davy after his mother's demise.
This is where our venue, Holy Seps church, comes into its own as the wild shores of Yarmouth on a dark and stormy night (long before the funfair) that affects David's life forever.
However David overrides it all, and in true Dickensian form, it all ends happily when he marries his second wife, Agnes, who he has known from childhood.
Just for good measure, the play has at least two Christmas episodes - so carol singers are a must!
The image is Frank Reynolds' illustration of Mr Micawber.
This production is directed by Rob Kendall. He has also directed: The Maids (2021), A Christmas Carol (2018), Hamlet (2018), The Bacchae (2018), Henry V (2016), The Importance pf Being Earnest (2016), The Lion in Winter (2015), Becket (2014), Troilus and Cressida (2014), Margot (2013), Nicholas Nickleby (2012), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (2012), Romeo & Juliet (2011), Great Expectations (2010), The Cherry Orchard (2010), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2009), Trainspotting (2008), Mother Courage And Her Children (2007), Twelfth Night (2005), Bent (2004), Hell Cab (2004), Murder in the Cathedral (2002), A View From The Bridge (2002), Entertaining Mr Sloane (2000), East (1998), A Streetcar Named Desire (1997) and Antony and Cleopatra (1996)
