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Nicholas Nickleby from Charles
Dickens novel of the same name
Adapter, Director & Lightening Designer-Janathan Holloway
Company - Red Shift Theatre Company
Venues & Dates -
Reviewer - Rachel Wagstaff
Extremely versatile actors
I had fears when the programme notes told me Jonathan Holloway (Adapter,
Director and Lighting Designer) has transported Dickens' work into 1950's
London. The cast of 7 actors take assorted parts and at first I thought
it was going to be confusing and episodic, but no.
It is at times rather loud, for these extremely versatile actors also
play drums, clarinet, flute and guitar and the music is sometimes intrusive
and distracting. Adept at playing multi-roles, the actors' transformations
between parts adds greatly, bringing out Dickens' own warmth or disapproval
for his characters.
Kate Rawson's Fanny Squeers is brash, crude and bawling, her Kate
Nickleby - sympathetic and kind. Stephen Lucas is a lovely, noble
Nicholas, Darren Hawkes most impressive and vulnerable as the wounded
schoolboy Smike, Tim Weekes great particularly as Newman Noggs
and the dastardly Bray, and Susan Swanton most watchable in her
roles. James Traherne is wonderful - frightening and threatening
as Squeers, repellent and Sir Mulberry Hawk, and suitably dodgy as Snawley!
Mario Vernazza's parody of the typical thesp, in his portrayal of
Vincent Crummles, is hilarious. This is superbly directed - a brilliant
send-up of how the acting establishment is perceived, the plot moving
seamlessly from one scene into another.
Putting the play into the 50s makes more sense as the show unfolds, as
it neatly underlines the problem of corruption found in Dickens' own time
and post World War Two. The energy of the cast gives enjoyment at the
frequent scene changes - Dickens' original had 775 pages! - rather than
irritation. Using inventiveness and ingenuity the same set is rearranged
in a myriad of different ways.
All in all, this show is wonderful. Do not be put off by the thought of
Dickens' reworked, and put up with the occasionally overloud music, for
there is much in this show well worth seeing, and I highly recommend it
to all, both young and old.
© Rachel Wagstaff 26 February 2002
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