H04063 THE TRUMPET MAJOR ADAPTATIONS - 10/3/04 - HARDY FORUM ARCHIVES

From: ? schweikr@localnet.com

Subject: Trumpet-Major Adaptations

Date: October 3, 2004 11:43:33 AM PDT

Just to follow up John Pentney's suggestion that the

*Trumpet-Major* would make a good subject for a

film, I note that TTHA's Checklist includes a recent

citation to a stage adaptation of that novel:

Michael Fry, *The Trumpet-Major: Based on a Story by

Thomas Hardy*. London: Oberon, 2004.

As current coordinator of TTHA's Checklist, I'd appreciate

any other information about that work I might have from TTHA

and other members of the Forum.

And, as John points out, it would seem to be a particularly good

subject for film or drama.

Bob

Robert Schweik

University Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus

Department of English

State University of New York

Fredonia, NY 14063

USA

schweik@fredonia.edu

schweikr@localnet.com

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From: jean_e_smith@hotmail.com

Subject: Trumpet Major Adaptations

Date: October 4, 2004 2:04:19 AM PDT

Michael Fry, *The Trumpet-Major: Based on a Story by

Thomas Hardy*. London: Oberon, 2004.

As current coordinator of TTHA's Checklist, I'd appreciate

any other information about that work I might have from TTHA

and other members of the Forum.

Hello All

Michael Fry's play was performed at the Bridewell Theatre, London last May. It is subtitled 'A Comedy (With Sad Bits)'. Michael Fry's programme notes state

'The narrative line here is the music. There is no narration as such, the story is intended to be conveyed through a mixture of musical themes, some recurring. There are twenty songs, sung by the cast and used in a variety of ways. Some form part of the action (Festus's revelry, Anne's hysteria, Bob's inebriated return...), others provide the context for the jingoistic reaction to the Napoleonic wars and location and time setting. The words are mainly based on folk songs of the period, although some are by Hardy himself and William Barnes, the Dorset poet whom Hardy revered and who wrote rustic verse in the Dorset dialect.'

The music was by John White, and the actors/singers were the Classic Reaction Theatre Company.

This was a lively production, very faithful to the novel, it worked as a stage production very well. Jane Nash, who played Mrs Garland and Matilda Johnson exploited the comic potential of the latter role to the full.

The Bridewell Theatre is a small theatre which I believe was once a swimming pool, the audience sit on three sides looking down onto the stage/floor. The space was utilized very well to suggest the interior of the mill, the audience getting liberally sprinkled with flour. I was disappointed that the production left out the scene where Bob Loveday is pursued by the press gang, particularly as the theatre offers plenty of room for a chase.

Michael Fry suggests that the characterization in the novel may have been influenced by harlequinades, which Hardy would have seen on his many visits to the theatre, he suggests that Hardy has a 'pantomimic or commedic approach to several depictions'. This was certainly true of Fry's production which emphasized the comedy/farce elements of the story very successfully. One thing that I was surprised by, Festus Derriman didn't translate very well to the stage. After a while one realized that the actor was reduced to shouting all of his lines. In the book Festus's bufooning is an enjoyable and sometimes disturbing part of the story, on stage it became a little wearing, but I'm sure that put me in touch with how Anne Garland must have felt!

Hope this helps Bob, I would have posted something at the time but I was without a PC for some months.

Best wishes

Jeanie Smith

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From: schweik@fredonia.edu

Subject: Re: Trumpet Major Adaptations

Date: October 4, 2004 4:42:10 AM PDT

Many thanks, Jeanie!

Bob

Robert Schweik

University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Emeritus

English Department

State University of New York

Fredonia, NY 14063

schweik@fredonia.edu

schweikr@localnet.com

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From: michael@perceptivecreation.co.uk

Subject: Re: Trumpet Major Adaptations

Date: October 4, 2004 12:52:26 AM PDT

Fascinating info Jeanie - thanks. I'll contact you direct on a few further

points.

My own company, The Wessex Actors Company, is hoping to tour Philip

Goulding's first-rate adaptation of "The Mayor of Casterbridge" next spring

(in SW England). It was originally staged by Forest Forge in conjunction

with Salisbury Playhouse. But any Hardy adaptations are of interest to us,

if cast size is manageable.

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