Nicholas Nickleby

Published Wednesday 26 July 2006 at 16:35 by Michael Sell

An almost unreserved welcome must be given to the splendid new production of David Edgar’s two-part adaptation. The show is of truly Wagnerian proportions and 23 actors share almost 100 roles in a theatrical experience of just over six and a half hours. Yet such is the pace and attention to detail given by directors Jonathan Church and Philip Franks, that the time passes quickly. The answer must lie in the way in which the ensemble works - total commitment by all and performances of a high level.

Nicholas is played by Daniel Weyman as an increasingly positive young man whose responsibility to his sister and mother underpins his life. Sister Kate’s vulnerability is movingly played by Hannah Yelland but it is Nicholas’ relationship with the exquisite Smike of David Dawson which pulls on the emotions. Leigh Lawson as the despicable Uncle Ralph is superbly spoken throughout as is the Mr Crummles of Bernard Lloyd. The strength of the production is that all the cast react to each situation appropriately.

Simon Higlett has created a rickety looking set of the highest interest and utility, which is lit with great accuracy by Mark Jonathan. The interesting and varied music by Matthew Scott is an effective additional pleasure.

This is a show of unusually high quality which catches the different moods well. The transition from the high at the end of Act I to the opening of Act II is supremely well undertaken - as is the rest of the production If there is a small reservation it is that the pace means that sometimes words are swallowed but this is a small price to pay for an experience of rare quality.