The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

I've seen many legendary performances, and yet this show was, without a doubt, the most fun I've ever had as an audience member. If, after the full 8+ hours of theater I'd seen that day, they came out and said they had 4 more for us, I'd have leapt to my feet in gratitude! A once in a lifetime production that I feel very lucky to have seen. And the tapes/DVDs bring it all back gloriously.

Here is Dickens at his best: the Royal Shakespeare Company distills the novel into a compelling and absorbing drama. The staging is impeccable and the artful addition of music and naration sweep the viewer into the very heart of the work. Drama, comedy, melodrama, and tragedy are all woven together by brilliant acting and no-less-brilliant directing.

The original stage production in London and New York demanded two whole evenings, and the DVD faithfully re-creates the experience. The nine hours seem all-too short! This DVD production is a benchmark for the medium. The rich and dreadful world of mid nineteenth century London bursts to life with minimal sets that allow the superb cast to perform their magic; your living room becomes a theatre and draws you in.

Not to be missed!

After seeing the 2001 adaptation, I said I would see this theatre adaptation, and it was well worth the time and every bit as good as it was touted to be. It is the best adaptation of Dickens' novel easily, there are a few things missing but it is very faithful to the mammoth and somewhat structurally sprawling source material, in detail and in spirit. The costumes and sets are not exactly grand(then again this is a stage adaptation rather than a film or TV series, which would have a different feel), but they do look good and scenes move swiftly and don't interfere with the drama at all. The sound effects are well-incorporated and never do they feel bizarre, while the dialogue is simply terrific, the story cohesive and emotionally impactful and the drama is done to the extent that you don't lose interest. The performances are even better than one could ask for. Roger Rees' Nicholas is outstanding, while the other actors are in multiple roles he plays this single role, this more than makes sense as Nicholas is the biggest role and he is on stage/screen almost the whole time. Emily Richard does a great job making much of a thankless role(if there is anything to criticise Dickens for, it was how he wrote his main female heroines), John Woodvine is a cold conflicted Ralph Nickleby, David Threlfall is astonishingly affecting as Smike and Alun Armstrong's Mr Wackford Squeers is funny and grotesque. In fact everybody play their roles true to character and seem to be having a lot of fun, and without falling into caricature as well. All in all, brilliant, if you love the book or Dickens there is no reason why you shouldn't see this. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This video of the Royal Shakespeare Company's 8-hour production of Nicholas Nickleby is well worth the time. It's funny, moving, and very Dickensian. There's also a brief look at Victorian productions of Shakespeare (when Nicholas stars as Romeo) which is absolutely hilarious. The actors all do a wonderful job, particularly those playing Nicholas, Kate, and Ralph Nickleby and Smike. This is one of those rare videotaped plays which captures the best of the real production with none of the drawbacks of most taped plays.

My husband bought the video set shortly after we viewed the series for the first time. I play it every year, at Christmas. Being great fans of Dickens's works we are thrilled and delighted every time with the entire production, from the excellent acting, staging, music, etc. No one could wish for a more perfect cast.