High expectations for Dickens classic in Northampton

Great Expectations is performed at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton on Friday to Saturday July 14 to 15It sees a terrifying encounter with an escaped convict forever changes the life of the orphaned Pip. Turning his back on his humble beginning as a blacksmith’s apprentice, he strives to better himself and become a gentleman, unaware of the heartache that awaits him.Great Expectations lays bare the web of lies and guilt in Charles Dickens’ least sentimental love story. It also tackles big questions of identity while mustering a cast of unforgettable characters, chief amongst them Miss Havisham, Magwitch and Joe Gargery.Directed by Erica Martin, The Actors Company invite you to immerse yourself in this classic story and discover one of Dickens’s most loved stories. This latest adaptation has been written by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. There have been many adaptations of the text including the 1946 film directed by David Lean and featured John Mills and Alec Guinness. More recently, the BBC adapted the book for a television series which was partly filmed at nearby Holdenby House which stood in for Satis House. The three part serial starred Ray Winstone as Magwitch and Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham.The Actors Company is a scheme set up by the Royal & Derngate. It is designed for those aged over 21, and is made up of non-professional actors who perform classic, contemporary and new work commissioned by Royal & Derngate. Led by theatre practitioners, members enjoy masterclasses in performance skills such as voice, movement and text, as well as working alongside professional directors to devise, rehearse and perform productions in performance spaces. The Actors Company also enables its members to develop their social and communication skills, gain confidence and make new friends. Tickets for the show are £10 and there will be performances starting at 7.45pm on Friday July 14 and then 2.30pm and 7.45pm on Saturday July 15.For more details visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811