Claybody Theatre have announced the casting for the premiere of Deborah McAndrew’s stage adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s celebrated 1911 novel The Card. which opens at Fenton Town Hall from 29 June – 9 July.
The Card cast will feature Gareth Cassidy (The 39 Steps, New Vic Theatre) as Denry Machin; David Ahmad (The Kite Runner, West End and Hamlet, National Theatre) as Harold Etches; Howard Chadwick (Pride and Prejudice, Grosvenor Open Air Theatre) as Mr Duncalf; Jessica Dyas (Babe, The Sheep Pig, Mercury Theatre) as Ruth Earp; Darren Kuppan (Hamlet, Leeds Playhouse) as Jock ; Jenny Murphy (Pride and Prejudice, Grosvenor Open Air Theatre) as Nellie Cotterill; and Molly Roberts (Private Peaceful, Nottingham Playhouse and Pressure, Chichester Festival Theatre and West End) as the Countess of Chell. The cast will play all other roles.
Directed by Conrad Nelson (Pride and Prejudice, Grosvenor Open Air Theatre), The Card follows the adventures of the loveable rogue Denry Machin, as he makes his way up from humble beginnings to become the most celebrated ‘card’ in The Five Towns!
The Five Towns make up Bennett’s fictional Stoke-on Trent – each identifiable with one of the real towns. However, he was missing one – Fenton. Bennett had nothing against Fenton – he just felt that from a literary point of view, Five Towns just sounded better than six. Fenton has never quite forgiven him. Ironically, performances of The Card will take place in the newly refurbished Ballroom at Fenton Town Hall.
In the comical novel, the character of Denry Machin is identified with ‘the great cause of cheering us all up’ – and this is the inspiration for the new production. The joyful production will feature a professional cast of 7 actor/musicians and will be supported by the Claybody Community Company and championship brass band Acceler8.
Written in 1911, The Card was adapted into a successful film in 1952 featuring Alec Guinness as Denry Machin and Petula Clark as Nellie. In 1973 it was made into a West End musical featuring Joan Hickson, Jim Dale and Millicent Martin and featuring the choreography by Gillian Lynne. The musical was revived in 1994 at Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre.
