The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

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.

This RSC filmed nine hour long stage production is without doubt the most comprehensive, compelling and wonderfully unmissable adaptation of any Dickens novel ever made. If I could give it more than 10 out of 10 I would.

Brilliant stage work, superb acting from every single member of the impressive cast, and good musical direction, and even incorporated audience participation. In short, it had the lot. Even for those unfortunate souls who turn their noses up at the classics this is a must see. It may change their minds.

The maddening thing for me is, that although I have the complete production on audio tape, I have only the last episode on video. I hope to rectify this dire omission in my library a.s.a.p.

I realise that the Royal Shakespeare Company has an ever formidable schedule, but I'm led to wonder why it hasn't tried a similar project with other Dickens novels. Could it be that this one is just unsurpassable?

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.

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.

I first saw this on TV when I was about thirteen or fourteen and I was absolutely rivited to the screen every Monday for weeks. When they repeated it due to popular demand about three months later I was hooked all over again. It is one of the most amazing television experiences of my life. It is simply sublime.

The acting, the dialogue, the action, the sets, everything is wonderful. Nicholas confronting Sqeers is still one of the most thrilling things I have ever seen and could Smikes' death be any sadder?

Roger Rees is the ideal Nicholas, exuding the right amount of boyish naivety and pluck, David Threlfall was a wonderfully sincere Smike, while special mention must go to Edward Petherbridge whose portrayal of Newman Noggs contained the perfect balance of humour and pathos.

All in all I couldn't recommend it more highly. Ten stars at least.