The Mayor of Casterbridge (adapted from Thomas Hardy)
Philip Goulding & Alan Williams
Genre: Play Adaptation
Cast size: 6-21
Duration: Two Act
Philip Goulding | Play Adaptation | Full-length | 3m, 3f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
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The Mayor of Casterbridge captures Thomas Hardy’s genius for depicting the absurdity underlying the sorrow and humour in our lives. Michael Henchard, an out-of-work hay-trusser, gets drunk at a fair and sells his wife and daughter to Newson, a sailor. Years later, with Newson lost at sea, Susan and her daughter discover Henchard has become Mayor of Casterbridge. Elizabeth-Jane believes Henchard merely a long-lost relative. The parents decide to remarry, to prevent Elizabeth-Jane from knowing their disgrace.
Elizabeth-Jane becomes attracted to Farfrae, the young Scot Henchard employs as business manager. Henchard alienated, asks Farfrae to leave and stop courting Elizabeth-Jane.
After remarrying Henchard, Susan dies. Discovering Elizabeth-Jane is Newson’s daughter, Henchard rejects her. Elizabeth-Jane lodges with a recent blow-in, Lucetta Templeman, who Henchard once knew. She’s come to Casterbridge hoping to marry him .
Lucetta falls for Farfrae, and marries him. She begs Henchard to return their love letters. Sent to deliver them, the messenger, Jopp, stops at an inn, where the locals persuade him to read the letters aloud. Discovering Lucetta and Henchard’s involvement, a humiliating parade is planned to mock the couple. This takes place when Farfrae is away. Lucetta faints at the spectacle, dying shortly afterward.
Henchard grows to hate Farfrae, but gets closer to Elizabeth-Jane. Newson arrives at Henchard’s door asking for Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard tells him that she’s dead. One day, Henchard learns that Newson has returned to town, and decides to leave rather than risk another confrontation. Elizabeth-Jane, reunited with Newson, learns of Henchard’s deceit.
Henchard returns to Casterbridge on Elizabeth-Jane’s wedding night, but is snubbed. She regrets her coldness, and she and Farfrae seek Henchard out so she can make her peace. They’re too late, he has died. In his will his last wish is to be forgotten.
Henchard attempts to make amends for his youthful misdeeds, but his unchanged impulsiveness clouds his relationships in love as well as his fortunes in business. Although fated to be a modern-day tragic hero, unable to survive in the new commercial world, Henchard’s story is also a journey toward love.
With music by Alan Edward Williams
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