The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens is the story of a young man thrown upon the mercy of his unscrupulous uncle after the death of his father leaves his mother and sister dependent upon him. Nicholas travels through England seeking his fortune with his devoted companion, the invalid Smike, always at his side. The book originally appeared in 19 monthly instalments between March 1838 and September 1839. The Chichester production of Dickens’ 3rd novel, now playing at the Gielgud theatre, comes in at a trim 6 ½ hours although it still takes some stamina to sit through both parts in one day.
Book lovers are often irked by the omission of some treasured episode or much-loved minor character when a classic novel comes to stage or screen. No such criticism could be levelled at David Edgar. The scope and ambition of his adaptation are staggering: he harnesses 952 pages of dense storytelling, over a hundred characters and drives them onto the stage with pace and aplomb.
Such a huge story necessarily requires a strong ensemble cast and the company do not disappoint. It is quite a surprise to see how few actors there are at the final curtain call; so many and various are the guises in which they appear. Unfortunately for Daniel Weyman, who does his best as the eponymous hero, Nicholas Nickleby is a bit like Oliver Twist in that the other characters are a lot more interesting. David Yelland is particularly impressive as the ruthless Ralph Nickleby whose moral journey is the longest in the story. Zoe Waites excels in all three of her roles as Nicholas’ love interests and Tricia Kelly is fantastic as Miss Knagg, the frightful shop assistant desperate to fool herself she’s still young.
The cast are able to really enjoy the section of the story in which Nicholas is co-opted as an author when he and Smike fall in with a company of travelling players. What amounts to padding in the book becomes a play within a play funny enough to rival the Mechanicals in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Nicholas’ Romeo and Juliet with a Happy Ending is far and away the high point of the performance and it’s worth going just to see it.
When the Oxford English Dictionary is next revised, the definition for ‘lavish’ will read: Early 21st c. Brit. Vastly expensive TV adaptation of 19th century novel to be flogged around the world: requires sumptuous stately homes, breathtaking Constable / Turneresque landscapes, Dame Judi and Keira. Theatre producers (and I’m thinking of The Woman in White here) often feel duty bound to compete with the telly; using high-tech projectors and revolves which can sometimes swamp the actors. The Gielgud theatre, recently restored to full Victoriana, does not lend itself well to these modern contrivances and the production does not require them. An impressive backdrop, beautiful costumes and minimal furniture are more than enough for such an accomplished company to take the audience from the East End to Yorkshire and back on stage. The only slight drawback is that the Gielgud has no orchestra pit and the excellent musicians are nowhere to be seen.
Nicholas Nickleby is not a Christmas story but there’s something undeniably festive about the whole experience and, if you go now, it’ll be time to open your presents when you get out.
