Tom Jones - Project 2007
Tom Jones is rich, ripe, rowdy, riotous and rumbustious, but is basically a love story. Set in Georgian times in the mid-1700s, it tells the story of Squire Allworthy’s adopted son Tom, who is extremely attractive to all women, but has only one true love. This inevitably causes him all sorts of trouble and problems, and at length he is cast out of his home by his father, to seek his fate elsewhere.
On his travels he becomes entangled with 3 women at once, one of them being his true love, Sophie Western. Charged with murder after being challenged to a duel, he very nearly ends up as gallows meat. However, a pardon arrives at the last minute and true love triumphs.
The play is a bawdy romp, but it also has the more serious theme that the straightforward, generous vices are not the worst ones. More evil lies in hypocrisy, and that insidious perfection of hypocrisy which is self-deceit. This is not laid on heavy-handedly, but emerges naturally from the story as it unfolds.
The play has an excellent script, borrowing much from the language of the original book. Since it is a relatively modern play it has a wonderful flow of dialogue. It captures the Georgian period beautifully, giving wonderful opportunities for mannerisms, costume and dances. One of the reasons for its appeal to audiences over the last 40 years is its physicality, be it in fights, duels, chases, seductions or rapes – and nearly in a hanging! Unusually it is a three act play, but not overlong. There are different locations for each act. There are opportunities to include more crowd scenes than are written, in order to evoke the period flavour even more firmly.
There is a large cast which, as written, has 7 main parts for each sex. There are several more minor speaking parts, and opportunities for an indefinite and variable number of non-speaking roles in both country and London scenes. There are opportunities for a company of all ages.
There are good challenges for all the technical crew, be they lighting or sound, set, wardrobe or choreography.
The Characters
Females
Bridget Allworthy The Squire’s sister – a good lady (40ish.)
Molly Seagrim A common lass - falls for Tom, but will go with anyone (20ish.)
Sophia Western Tom’s true, love sweet and innocent (20ish.)
Honour Molly’s sister. (Teenage)
Susan The maid in the Lion Inn – falls for Tom, makes do with money (any age)
Mrs Waters A lady of warm heart and generous virtue – falls for Tom (30ish)
Mrs Fitzpatrick A Society lady - falls for Tom, loathes her oafish Irish husband (30 to 40ish)
Maids, Servants, Street Sellers and Bystanders
Males
Tom Jones A handsome country lad - loves Sophie, attracts misfortune (20ish)
Squire Allworthy Local magistrate, Tom’s adoptive father – practical and good (50ish)
Thwackum A cleric, tutor to Blifil - slimy and hypocritical (any age)
Blifil Allworthy’s nephew - an odious and devious piece of work (20ish)
Squire Western A rough-and-ready short-fused country squire, father to Sophia (50ish)
Captain Fitzpatrick Dashing, bold, a libertine - killed by Tom in a duel (30 to 40ish)
Lord Fellamar An affected aristocrat – preys on women (30 to 40ish)
Doctor , Constable, Priest, Executioner, Servants, Street Sellers and Bystanders.
The ages I have put in brackets are a guide to the ages of the characters not of the actors.
Some of the smaller parts are nonetheless very good – the Constable is a gem of a cameo.
Production team.
Publicity
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Lighting
Sound
Set builders
Wardrobe
Front of House
Musicians
Assistant Director
The script is “Tom Jones” by Joan Macalpine and can be ordered from Sam French via Amazon.
The theatre we will be using is the Blakehay theatre in Weston-Super-Mare and the proposed dates are 17th to 22nd September 2007 (subject to contract with theatre).
Projects are hard work and time-consuming, but the benefits are new skills, new friends, lots of fun and a great sense of achievement, and this one has the added bonus of a week by the seaside!!! So please everyone, come and audition or volunteer to help because I need you, and RAFTA needs you.
