SENIOR Wokingham Youth Theatre students were keen to take on a challenging piece of work this year.
No surprise, then, that they have opted to present a tale of epic proportions.
Their February production is an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 18th century novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
“Our senior students have been asking for a while to do something challenging, gritty, and emotional,” said director, and senior group tutor, Indigo Hogg.
“As soon as I began reading this script I knew it was something they would enjoy.
“It’s a dramatic and complex story, and it’s been a lot of hard work, but they’ve really stepped up to the challenge.”
‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,’ said Dickens, in the first line of his novel, now one of the most famous in English literature.
He goes on to list wisdom, foolishness, belief, incredulity, light, darkness, hope, despair, plenty and scarcity – all of which are packed into his story, beginning with the death of a child, and ending with Paris mobs becoming ever more thirsty for blood and vengeance.
Central to the tale is Charles Darnay, nephew of hated Marquis St. Evrémonde.
Despising his aristocratic family and its harsh values, he loves Dr Manette’s beautiful daughter, Lucie, wins her heart and marries her.
It should be the start of a beautiful romance but society is in turmoil – and in Paris, chaos reigns.
The cast of 14 to 18 year olds have given themselves a formidable task in recreating this mutinous tale set in both Paris and London.
It encompasses love, loss and betrayal, and ends with the greatest of sacrifices for love, set against the growing tide of dissatisfaction and resentment that led to the French Revolution.
So audiences can expect drama, passion, chaos – and a full-sized guillotine.
“Once again, our set builders have excelled themselves,” said Indigo.
“They’ve provided the Youth Theatre show with our most complex staging yet, complete with a working carriage, a set that allows us to move back and forth between England and France – and yes, a ten foot high guillotine.
“The students absolutely love it.
“They also love the amazing period costumes the theatre has provided.
“Getting to wear all these French historical outfits has been a great delight for them all.”
To see A Tale of Two Cities audiences should make their way to Wokingham Theatre, where performances are on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 20, 21, and 22.
The bar opens at 7pm each evening, with performances starting at 7.45pm.
A Saturday matinee performance can also be seen at 2.30pm.
Tickets cost £11 for adults, and £6.50 for children.
For tickets and information, visit: wokinghamtheatre.org.uk
