Following 6 sell-out performances in June and an appearance at the Tolpuddle Festival, The New Hardy Players’ production of ‘Six Men Of Dorset [The Tolpuddle Play]’ returns by Public Demand with 3 additional shows in September!
The New Hardy Players have been performing indoor and outdoor adaptations of Thomas Hardy’s novels in and around the Dorchester area since 2005. This year the Players have embarked on their most ambitious project so far- a revival of the 1934 play ‘Six Men of Dorset [ The Tolpuddle Play]’ by Miles Malleson and Harry Brooks. This is one of Dorset’s most important stories which is brought to life and celebrated with a cast of 40 and features live music and song. Additional performers took part in scenes from the story that were filmed in and around Dorchester and shown as part of the performance, building on the success of The Mayor of Casterbridge where film played an integral part of the storytelling.
The play will be performed in partnership with Dorchester Arts and The Shire Hall Museum. The first half of the play takes place in the Corn Exchange. The script used is by kind permission of the TUC and was originally performed in the Corn exchange in 1934. During the interval the audience move to The Shire Hall to watch the second half [including the famous Trial Scene] in the Historic Courtroom where the original trial took place. The audience will be limited to 130 per performance. Audiences are advised that cushions may be needed for the Shire Hall and the production will incur a longer than usual interval.
The play will be performed 3 times, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September at 7.30pm plus a matinee performance on Sunday at 2.30pm
Tickets are obtained via Dorchester Arts www.dorchesterarts.org.uk
Six Men In the Dock
© Shire Hall Museum
