Bleak Expectations (2024)

Poster by Tom Mathias

by Mark Evans

Directed by Tom Mathias

Performances: Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 October 2024, Old Fire Station

Introduction

Adapted from a BBC Radio 4 comedy series, Mark Evans' play has been described as the riotous story Charles Dickens might have written after drinking too much gin! And, crucially, had he lived for another 152 years.

Follow half-orphan Pip's extraordinary exploits with sisters Pippa and Poppy and best friend Harry Biscuit, as they attempt to escape the calculating clutches of the dastardly Mr Gently Benevolent, defeat the hideous Hardthrasher siblings, and deflect disaster at every turn! Will evil be vanquished by virtue?

Cast

• Sir Philip Bin - Simon Gleisner
• Agnes Bin / Flora Moribund Goner Dies-Early / Cockney Woman / Boy - Anna Callender
• Thomas Bin - Craig Norman
• Pip Bin - Tom Mitchell
• Pippa Bin - Flora Blissett
• Poppy Bin / Ripely Fecund - Aurora McLaughlin-Gouldhacker
• Skinflint Parsimonious / Harry Biscuit / Court Official - Alex Watts
• Gently Benevolent - Guy Jones
• Bakewell Havertwitch / Broadly Fecund - Chris Gipson
• Whackwell Hardthrasher / Reverend Praygood Hardthrasher / Ms. Chastity Hardthrasher / Justice Solomon Hardthrasher - Jamie Bowman

Crew

• Assistant Director - Oliver Adkin
• Stage Manager - Fiona Daffern
• Assistant Stage Managers - Alistair Simpson, Chris Purcell, David Blatcher, Willow Sinclair
• Sound Design - Dean Moore
• Lighting Design - Tom Mathias with Jo Boniface and Noah Wright
• Operator - Noah Wright
• Lighting rigging - Sean Thomas
• Costume - Danielle Annoh, Jess Osorio, Zoë Callender
• Set Design - Tom Mathias
• Music Director - Alan Walker
• Fight Choreographer - Stephen Hayward
• Intimacy Coordinator - Greg Williams
• Props - The cast and crew, Danielle Annoh, Michael Gallagher
• Set build and painting - The cast and crew, Mark Ireson, Sean Thomas, Stephen Hayward, Carole Ironside
• Production photography - Phil Gammon

Reviews

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Reminiscences and Anecdotes

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External Links

• Bleak Expectations on Wikipedia
• The entire BBC Radio 4 series Bleak Expectations can be found on Archive.org