THE HIRED MAN
12 - 27 APR 2013
STUDIO PERFORMANCE
A Curve Theatre Leicester & Mercury Theatre Colchester Co-production.
By Melvyn Bragg and Howard Goodall. Directed by Daniel Buckroyd.
Acclaimed for its epic, nostalgic, funny story and rousing, romantic, award-winning score, The Hired Man, which contains some strobe effects, is arguably the finest new British musical of the last thirty years.
Set against the backdrop of the Cumbrian lakes in the early years of the twentieth century, it tells the timeless, moving story of a young married couple and their struggle to carve a living from the land, just as the traditional rhythms of English country life are being swept away by the gathering storm of war in Europe. It’s haunting, thrilling, stirring stuff.
The Hired Man is based on the much-loved novel by Melvyn Bragg, and brought to life by the heartbreakingly-beautiful music of Howard Goodall, the EMMY, BRIT and BAFTA award-winning composer of stage musicals. Goodall's credits including the recent West End hit Love Story, and film and TV scores including themes for Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley, Mr Bean and QI.
The cast is led by David Hunter who plays the role of John, Julie Atherton playing Emily and Kit Orton as Jackson. David Hunter's past credits include One Man Two Guvnors at the National and Adelphi Theatres. David also was in the semi-finals in ITV Superstar's auditions in July 2012. Julie Atherton's stage roles include playing Cinderella in the Sean Holmes Lyric pantomime in 2012 and Kate Monster in Avenue Q at Noel Coward Theatre. Kit Orton's recent roles include Sir Lancelot in Spamalot, West End and UK tour. He also starred in Craig Revel Horwood's production of Spend, Spend, Spend at the Watermill Theatre.
Cast also includes Christopher Staines, Gary Tushaw, Jamie Barnard, Jill Cardo, Mark Stobbart, Matthew Rutherford, Jenni Bowden and Rachael Gladwin.
PRE THEATRE TALK WITH HOWARD GOODALL - WED 24 APR 5.30PM £3
Professor Nigel Wood from Loughborough University chairs a discussion with Howard Goodall on his life, his work and the writing and development of The Hired Man.
Production photography by Robert Day.
| TICKETS | |
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Previews: Fri 12 - Mon 15 Apr, £10 Mon - Thu, £18 Fri - Sat, £20 |
| PERFORMANCE TIMES | |
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Mon - Sat evenings, 7.45pm Thu & Sat matinees, 2.30pm Tue 16 Apr 7pm |
| DISCOUNTS | ||
| Under 16s | £10 | |
| 16 - 26 | £15 | |
| Over 60s and registered unemployed | £2.50 off | |
| Under 18s school groups | £10 | |
| Groups of 10+ | £2.50 off | |
| Members | 15% off | |
CREATIVE TEAM
- Juliet Shillingford
- Designer
- Tom Lishman
- Sound Designer
- Daniel Buckroyd
- Director
- Mark Dymock
- Lighting Designer
- Richard Reeday
- Musical Director
CAST
- Julie Atherton
- Emily
- Matthew Rutherford
- Blacklock / Ensemble + Double Bass
- Chris Staines
- Pennington / Ensemble + Double Bass
- Mark Stobbart
- Isaac / Ensemble
- Jenni Bowden
- Sally / Ensemble + Trumpet
- Oliver Izod
- Ensemble
- David Hunter
- John
- Jill Cardo
- May / Ensemble + Trumpet
- Kit Orton
- Jackson / Ensemble + Violin
- Gary Tushaw
- Seth / Ensemble
- Jamie Barnard
- Harry / Ensemble + Percussion
- Rachael Gladwin
- Ensemble + Harp
What's On Stage
"Highly Recommended"
The Guardian
"It is musically rich and narratively satisfying as it mines one working couple's marriage from the end of the 19th century to beyond the first world war"
The Daily Telegraph
"Not to be missed"
The Stage
"It dares us to feel pity but commands us to feel respect - simply awesome"
The Independent
"A wonderful production - better than many in the West End"
Colchester Gazette
" A bit like having the West End on your doorstep - It's that good"
East Anglian Daily Times
“It’s not too often you see a standing ovation in a regional theatre, but this got one and it is thoroughly deserved”
What’s On Stage
“A sparkling joint production between the Mercury theatre and the Leicester Curve Theatre…Daniel Buckroyyd puts his 13-strong cast of actor/musicians through their paces with rigour and they rise to the challenge admirably”
