JUDITH Notley pauses to reflect.

Rehearsals are going well for her latest directorial challenge, Hard Times, staged by her Fools Players theatre company, and I'd asked her why she'd chosen a Dickens' play as a follow up to FP's first outing last year - Shakespeare's pastoral romance, As You Like It.

"The social divisions in 2017 mirror Dickens' England of the 1800s," explains Judith. "The rich get richer. As the old song says 'it's the same the whole world over, it's the poor what gets the blame, it's the rich what gets the pleasure, isn't it a bloomin' shame.'

"Similarly, our current education system seems intent on overload. Pressurising pupils through constant examinations, disrupting school through external inspections. This system prevailed in Victorian times and didn't work then, nor does it work now. Dickens also created ridiculously exaggerated, satirical characters to tell his story. Humour helps the medicine go down."

Hard Times plays The Box theatre, Kendal College, from Thursday-Saturday, November 9-11, then transfers, lock, stock and barrel to Staveley Roundhouse for three nights, November 13-15.

Judith has linked up again with the inspirational and influential figure of Hilary Pezet, Kendal College's outstanding head of acting; a connection which helps Judith tap into the college's terrific pool of performers and technical talent.

"I've known Hilary for decades," adds Judith. "She is such an in-depth actor, always giving and engaged to work alongside. I marvel at her creativity. What she's achieved as at the college is unparallelled."

"The students provide such strength to this community: actors both on stage and film; technicians for light, sound, projection, general stage design and construction, musicians, the list goes on.

"Many graduates now work professionally in all these fields. It's a pot of gold at the end of our town. And we offer the students different, wider experience on stage by working with very experienced community actors of varied ages - everybody wins."

Hard Times is a classic from the pen of master storyteller Charles Dickens. Set in the north of England, it tells an exciting story of love, loss, pride before a fall, and a deepening divide between rich and poor.

Judith has gathered 17 actors, with multiple parts, who sing, dance and inventively act out the tale of social unrest of the 1850s.

From talented college students to experienced community actors, it's a high quality cast.

Hilary Pezet reprises her triumph as a Herwick sheep in 2016 As You Like It, but moves species to impersonate a disobedient circus dog. The consummate Graham Edwards makes a convincing drunk as the permanently sozzled circus owner. Popular Rosie Wates, magnificent as Mrs Sparsit, plays a villain intent on mischief. Nigel Banks brings his subtle acting skills to the complex role of Mr Gradgrind, and the wonderful comic timing of one to watch, Haydn Whitehead, a recent graduate of Kendal College, brings to life the vicious caricature of Mr Bounderby.

Boundlessly energetic, Judith says the production is full of humour, pathos and intrigue, all accompanied by original music.

"It needed some updating, editing and recreation of certain scenes. Yet, in essence it is Dickensian satire that shines. Much needed when times are hard."

Judith is one of the best-known and respected names in the region's theatrical world.

A former Lakes School teacher, she left bowed out of education in 1995, and for a while hit the road with her own small scale touring company.

Down the years she herself has portrayed storyteller and sheep breeder Beatrix Potter in tweeds and grey stockings, displayed her deft comic timing on several occasions in Brewery Players' and Anne Pierson productions and gave a commanding performance as the Wife in 2000's powerful The Wife of Kendal drama opposite Guy Pocock as the Husband and David Williams as Oswald Mosley.

But these days Judith - whose first taste of acting was on the back lawn of her parents semi-detached house performing to family and friends - is more comfortable in the director's chair. She has added the Notley magic to many a tale, directing musicals, thrillers, comedy, tragedy, classics, panto and children's plays: "I would rather direct than act because the creative process of pulling it all together, having pulled it all apart to understand it better in the first place, is so rewarding."

Performances for Hard Times start at 7.30pm.

Tickets for The Box shows are available online at www.trybooking.co.uk/1942; for the Staveley performances at www.staveleyroundhouse.com.