Hard Times

A Musical Comedy
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

From an original concept by Charles Lisanby
Book by John Caird & Ranjit Bolt
Lyrics by Ranjit Bolt
Music by John Cameron
From the novel by Charles Dickens

This is a very fine musical theatre adaptation of Dickens’ novel Hard Times that has never been produced.   It is crying out for some enterprising theatre Producer or Artistic Director to give it its world première performance.

The show can be played by 12 principal performers - 7 men and 5 women - with a further company of 4 doubling the minor roles. This ensemble can also play the children in Gradgrind’s school, or real children can be used if preferred. 

You can listen to a selection of the music by clicking here.  If you would like to peruse the script please contact John Caird.

Characters

Thomas Gradgrind, MP, Member of Parliament for Coketown
Mrs Gradgrind, his wife
Tom Gradgrind, their son
Louisa Gradgrind, their daughter, later Bounderby’s wife
Sissy Jupe, living in the Gradgrind household

Josiah Bounderby, banker and mill-owner in Coketown
Mrs Sparsit, his housekeeper
Bitzer, porter in Bounderby’s bank
Stephen Blackpool, one of Bounderby’s hands
Joseph Sleary, a circus-owner

James Harthouse, a cad

A mysterious Old Woman

Mr M’Choakumchild, schoolmaster
Mr Pounder, Schools Commissioner

A Waiter at the Royal Hotel, Coketown
A Maid, in the Gradgrind household
A Maid, in the Bounderby household
Pupils of Coketown school

Highlights CD Cast

Bitzer - Paul Baker
Harthouse – Graham Bickley
Gradgrind, Blackpool & Sleary – John Cameron
Tom – Richard Henders
Louisa/Mrs Sparsit – Helen Hobson
Sissy Jupe - Rebecca Locke
Mrs Gradgrind – Gay Soper
Bounderby – Stephen Tate
Schoolchildren – Brittany Brownlee, Amy Cameron & Sid Sagar