Full Casting Announced For Northern Broadsides National Tour of HARD TIMES By Charles Dickens

Northern Broadsides announce full casting for Deborah McAndrew's new adaptation of Charles Dickens Hard Times.

Hard Times cast will feature Suzanne Ahmet (Saint George and the Dragon, National Theatre) as Sissy Jupe; Darren Kuppan (Guards at the Taj, Bush Theatre and The Tempest, Globe Theatre) as Mr Harthouse / Bitzer; Vanessa Schofield (Plastic Figures, Box of Tricks) Louisa Gradgrind; Tony Hunt (The Commitments, West End) as Steven Blackpool; Perry Moore (Cyrano, Northern Broadsides and Peter Pan in Scarlet, New Vic Theatre) as Tom Gradgrind; Howard Chadwick (Brassed Off, Oldham Coliseum) as Josiah Bounderby/Strong Man.

Also featuring in the cast will be Victoria Brazier (Three Mothers, Waterloo East) as Rachael and Bitzer; Andrew Price (She Stoops to Conquer, Northern Broadsides) as Thomas Gradgrind; Paul Barnhill (Brassed Off, Oldham Coliseum and Steven Spielberg's The BFG and Ready Player One) as Mr Sleary and Claire Storey (The Cherry Orchard, Nottingham Playhouse) as Mrs Gradgrind/ Mrs Pegler.

Hard Times is directed by Conrad Nelson and will be designed by Dawn Allsopp (Kiss Me Quickstep, New Vic Theatre & Oldham Coliseum) and with lighting by Mark Howland (Pride and Prejudice, Nottingham Playhouse and York Theatre Royal).

Dark satanic mills, interrupted by the colour and vibrancy of Sleary's Circus, set the stage for a sweeping tale of suppressed love, seduction and social mores, peopled with the sharply observed exaggerated characters that Dickens is celebrated for.

The production will open at the Viaduct Theatre Halifax, from 16-24 February and will then tour to The Dukes Lancaster; The Lowry Salford; Liverpool Playhouse; New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme; Stephen Joseph Theatre; Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield; Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

For more information visit www.northern-broadsides.co.uk