The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
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LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, THE RECURRING PHENOMENON Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy by Fecicia Hardison Londre in association with Community Services presents It may be a measure of tile influence of Charles Dicken's his academy from infection. Although convicted of gross Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby that Brian Friel neglect (maggoty food and flea-infested beds among other nicknamed one of his characters in Translations 'The Infant offenses) and fined, Shaw continued to operate his school Phenomenon." H~NYJames, author of the novel on which The vividness with which Dickens painted social conditions The Innocents is based, saw a theatrical performance of in his day cannot alone explain the appeal of Nicholas Nicholas Nickleby (in his boyhood and, at 67, remembered it Nickleby for modern audiences, 145 years after the novel was THELIFE (3) vividly enough to write of it in his autobiography: "who written. His timeless, irresistible characterizations are a strong ADVENTURES OF shall deny the immense authority of the theatre, or that the point Although some critics object to his caricatures, Dickens stage is the mightiest of modern engines?" scarcely exaggerates in many of his embodiments of human Dickensalways longed to harness his talent to that mighti- failings, like Squeers, Noggs, and Mantalini. Santayana avers: est of modem engines,but wasnot successful in his occasional "There are such people; we are such people ourselves in our NICHOLAS NICKLEBY effortsasa playwright. Hisconsiderable influence on Victorian true moments, in our veritable impulses; but we are careful and later theatre came about through dramatizations by to stifle and hide those moments from ourselves and from the others of virtually all of his novels and many of his stories. world; to purse and pucker ourselves into the mask of our His third novel. Nicholas Nicklebv. which was published in conventional personality; and so simpering, we profess that it Adapted for the stage by serial installments in 1838-39, generated unauthorized the- is very coarse and inartistic of Dickens to undo our life's atrical versions even before halfof its chapters had appeared work for us in an instant, and remind us of what we are." DAVID EDGAR in print In The Life andAdventures of Nicholas Nickleby Dickens In the 1838-40 seasons, London theatre audiences could also presents a moral point of view that comes across to the see The Infant Phenomenon at the Strand Theatre, Nicholas theatregoer. The existence of evil is acknowledged, but the From the novel by Nickleby, A Farce in Two Acts at the Adelphi Theatre (re- possibility of human goodness is affirmed. vised and revived at the Surrey Theatre in 1839). and The CHARLES DICKENS Fortune of Smike: A Sequel to Nicholas Nickleby at the Adeiphi Theatre. A company in Hull produced its own adaptation, Nicholas Nickleby, or Doings at Do-lhe-Boys Produced by Hall, in 1838, Otiiei versions appeared in 1857, 1864, 1871, and 1885. A French version was staged in NORMAN MENNES Paris in 1842. The Royal Shakespeare Company's magnificent achieve- ment in bringing to the stage in 1980 the first dramatization Directed by of Nicholas Nicklebv that tells the entire story of the 65- installment novel came about partly because ofan eagerness FRED FATE tu give the original author his proper due. Adapter David Fdgai's introduction 10 the acting edition orrers this guidance or other comnanies usine his scn~t-"Luckitv. oroducers are able to purchase, at most good bookshops, a'cinmpanion Set and Lighting Design by tfiilume which contains the most comprehensive acting, cos- tuming, staging and setting instructions, and a lot else besides. RANDALL L. EDWARDS It is called The Life and Adventures of Nichoias Nickleby. and it was written by the English novelist Charles Dickensin the early years of the 19th century." Costume Design by The novel contains the most fully developed of all of Dickens's literary sketches of theatrical life, and theatre his- DIANE SISKO torians have corroborated the accuracy of his depiction of conditions under which small touring companies like that of Vincent Crummles labored benightediy to bring Art-be it in Music composed by the form of The Mortal Struggle or of Romeo and Juliet- to the people of Portsmouth and other provincial towns. MARJORIE POE It was with unmistakable affection that Dickens brought out the little vanities and invincibilities of theatre people. Dickens's novel documents not only the early Victorian Lyrics by provincial stage's comical side, but also the tragically deplor- able conditions that existed in the infamous Yorkshire JEREMY LAWRENCE schools of the period. These cheap depositories for unwanted children had been advertised as early as 1749. Before he began to write Nicholas Nickleby, Dickens travelled to Yorkshire Associate Directors: under an assumed name, accompanied by his illustrator "Phiz," to gather information. Mr. Squeers of Dotheboys Hall PAUL COATS & JAMES BRADFORD was undoubtedly modelled after William Shaw, whom Dickens met near Greta Bridge. Shaw had been brought to Charles Dickens, photographed about 1843, not long after trial by the parents of two boys who went totally blind in the invention of photography. May 3.4,s. 10,11,12,13,17,18,19,20,24,25,26,1984 Major Production numbers652 and 653 in the 55th Season PORTSMOUTH LONDON AGAIN Landlord James Bradford Sir Mulberry Hawk Don Washburn Mr. Vincent Crununles Roger Hampton Lord Fredrick Verisopht Kent Stoddart Mrs. Crummles Helen Hull Mr. Pluck Scott Hunter The infant Phenomenon Kimberleey Gammon Mr. Pyke Scott Warner Master Crummles Steve Izay Mr. Snobb Ray Woodson ' CAST OF CHARACTERS Master Percy Crummles Scott Hunter Colonel Chowser Justin Tanner Mrs. Grudden Lisa Beezley Brooker Don Washburn Miss Snevelicci Maria Teresa Rangel Mr. Witiiteriy Brian P. Newkirk Tl Mr. Folair James Bradford Mrs. W~titteriy Paulla Heishey 1 THE NICKLEBY FAMILY YORKSHIRE Mr. Lenville David Mayhan Alphonse Henry Levingston 111 Scaley Jeremy Lawrence ~icholasNickleby Bryan Burch-Worch Mr. Squeers Jeremy Lawrence Mils Ledrook Tamara Welchel Miss Bravassa Tix Henry Levmeston 111 Kate Nickleby Ailegra Swift Mrs. Squeers Helen Hull Marci Barker Mr. Hetherington Justin Tanner Ralph Nickleby Paul Coats Smike Michale Venedicto MI. Wagstaff Kent Stoddart Mr. Bliitey Miss Belvawney Allison Bergman Mrs. Nicklebv Bobbie Holt Phib Laurisa Kalinowsky Dutch Van Der Lam MI. Bane Mark Crane FannySqueers Lisa Beezley Miss Belvawney Allison Bergman Boxkeeper Brenden Bromx Wackford Squeers Justin Tanner Miss Gazingi Laurel Green Madeline Bray Laura Skill John Browdie Roger Hampton Mr. Pailey BrianNewkirk Mr. Charles CheeryMe Roger Hampton LONDON Tilda Price Laurel Green Mr. Heatherington Justin Tanner Mr. Ned Cheeryble James Bradford Tomkins Ray Woodson Mr. Bane Mark Crane Newman Noggs Randy Bowser Mr. Fluggm Bill Barker MI. Frank Cheerybly Kent Stoddart Coates Ramara Welchel Hannah Bonni Sue Marcus Mrs. Lenville Tim Linkinwater Mark Crane Mobbs David Mayhan Sheri Galan Miss La Creevy Paulla Hershey Mr. Curdle Steve Novak Arthur Gride David Mayhan Graymarsh Maria Teresa Range! Sir Matthew Pupker James Bradford Mrs. Curdle Laurissa Kalinowsky Walter Bray Bill Barker Jennings Mr. Bomey Mark Crane Mark Crane Mr. Sneveticci Steven Novak Peg Sliderskew Lisa Beezley Irate Gentleman Scott Hunter Bolder Steve Izay Mrs. Snevelicci Marci Barker Croupier Mark Crane Furious Gentleman Steve Novak Pitcher Brian P. Newkirk Proprietor Brian P. Newkirk Jackson Kent Stoddart Flunkey Scott Warner THE CRUMMLE'S COMPANY Waitress Bobbie Holt Mr. Snawiey Bill Barker Cobbey Don Washburn Umpire Henry Levingston Ill Peters Scott Warner Snawiey Major Sheri Galan Romeo Bryan Burch-Worch Surgeon Dutch Van Der Laan sprouter Scott Hunter Smwley Minnor Laura Skill Juliet Maria Teresa Rangel Westwood James Bradford Roberts Bill Barker Belling Brendon Broms Tybalt David Mayhan Police Henry Levingston I11 William Steve Novak Rosaline Tamara Welchel Don Washburn Waitress Bonni Sue Marcus LONDON AGAIN Lady Montague Sheri Galan Young Woman Tamara Welchel Waitress Laurissa Kalinowsky The ~ewSmike Brendon Broms Mr. Kenwigs James Bradford Lady Capulet Helen Hull Coachman James Bradford Balthazar Steve Izay Young Lover in Opera Mark Crane Mr. Mantalini David Mayhan Mrs. Kenwigs Laurissa Kalinowsky Daughter in Opera Laura Skill Morleena Kenwigs Bonni Sue Marcus Paris Mark Crane Madame Mantalini Marci Barker Watchman Brian Newkirk Father in Opera PaulCoats Miss Knag Allison Bergman Mr. Lillyvick Jeremy Lawrence Miss Petowker Paulla Hershey Prince Kent Stoddart Rich Lady Bobbie Holt Juliet's Brother Scott Hunter Rich Daughter Kimberleey Gammon Mr. Crowl Scott Warner George Steve Novak Friar Lawrence Bill Barker Milliners Lisa Beezley Nurse Lisa Beezley Brendon Broms Mr. Cutler Don Washburn Paulla Hershey Mrs. Cutler Laura Skill Lord Capulel Roger Hampton Laurel Green Laurissa Kalinowsky Kenwig's Daughters Kimberleey Gammon Attendant 'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" Bonni Sue Marcus Laurel Green Benvolio/Benvilia Marci Barker is set in England in the first half of the Nineteenth Maria Teresa Rangel Page Aliison Bergman Laura Skill Lady from Downstairs Allison Bergman Century. Kimberleey Gammon Trumpetem Bonni Sue Marcus Mifl Green Bobbie Holt Romeo's Sister Lord Montague Dutch Van Der Laan Part I is approximately 3% hours in length with David Mayhan Pugstyles Kent Stoddarl one intermission. Part I1 is approximately 4 hours Minister Brian Newkirk Old Lord Dutch Van Der