At Greenwich we presented the play with a cast of 13. It would be possible to present the play with a bigger company of actors (there were 28 parts credited in our programme), but it would be hard to present it with a smaller cast. There are several ensemble scenes, which could be played by a much greater number of narrators and standers-by than I envisaged.

Music

Incidental music for the production vas composed by Mia Soteriou. Copies can be obtained on DAT or Cassette Tape on application to Rachel Daniels, Berlin Associates, 14 Floral Street, London WC2E 9DH; tel. 020 7836 1112.

There are three original songs, with words by the adaptor and music by Mia Soteriou. There are also three Victorian ballads and one traditional song. 

Principal Characters

David Copperfield
Our hero. Generous, passionate, naive, vulnerable, intelligent. The victim of his own "undisciplined heart". 

James Steerforth
"...a handsome, well-formed young man, dressed with a tasteful, easy negligence... his easy spirited good humour; his genial manner... his natural gift of adapting himself to whomsoever he pleased.... all this was a brilliant game, played for the excitement of the moment, for the employment of high spirits, in the thoughtless love of superiority..." 

Thomas Traddles
Another friend from Salem House... "his old simple character and, and something of his unlucky fortune also... smiled at me...". 

Mr Micawber
The legendary optimist. Utterly impractical, child-like, loquacious and always in debt... "annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen, nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery...". 

Mrs Micawber
Long-suffering wife of Mr M. Melodramatic, changeable; Micawber's agent, disciple and propagandist. Occasionally hysterical.

Peggotty
David's nurse. His oldest and best friend. Loyal, perceptive, hard-working. An honest countrywoman

Mr Peggotty
Her brother. The Yarmouth fisherman. "He was but a poor man himself... but good as gold and true as steel" - protector and adopter of Ham and Little Emily. 

Ham
Honest, brave, uncomplicated. His heart broken by Emily. 

Little Emily
Pretty, flirtatious.... "wanted to be a lady... she was rather what might be called wayward.... didn't know her own mind quite - a little spoiled - and couldn't, at first, exactly bind herself down...". 

Uriah Heep
Odious, cunning, malevolent, jealous. Superficially self effacing and modest. Ambitious, hard-nosed, cruel and greedy.

Rosa Dartle
Companion to Steerforth's mother. Scarred by a secret passion for Steerforth. Clever. "She brings everything to a grindstone and sharpens it, as she has sharpened her own face and figure these years past. She has worn herself away by constant sharpening. She is all edge." A complex, tragic figure.

Mrs Steerforth
Proud, disdainful, passionately devoted to her son

Aunt Betsy Trotwood
"...a tall, hard-featured lady, but by no means ill-looking. There was an inflexibility in her face, unbending and austere... a very quick bright eye". Dynamic, opinionated, liberal, impatient, generous, wise.

Mr Dick
"he has been called mad" said my aunt, "If it hadn't been for me, his own brother would have shut him up for life... he is the most friendly and amenable creature in existence". Convinced that he has the mind of Charles the First in his head, he is engaged on a gigantic petition to the Lord Chancellor about his situation.

Please direct any questions to enquiries@david-copperfield.co.uk