The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

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.

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

It took me a while to get started on this series. Perhaps because I had never watched a stage show captured for television. I expected it to be a series of exhausting conversations in a dismal setting that seldom changed. But, I was wrong on all accounts. The 'Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby' is a classic and outstanding show. Every character from Nicholas and Smike to Ralph and Crummles has done tremendous justice to their roles. The display of emotions, clarity of dialogs, and intensity of expressions are astonishing. I assume there must have been thirty to thirty-five actors in the show. The number of characters in the play is definitely higher. The dexterity with which actors have played multiple roles is phenomenal. Despite the limited resources and space constraints inherent in such shows, the setting changed swiftly and fittingly. Not once did I feel the dreariness of a stagnant location. The sound effects, from the knock of doors to Newman Noggs's snapping fingers, are very natural. This is a magnificent rendering of Dickens's novel and a must-watch. I suggest watching one part a day, because it gives sufficient break to chew over that episode, and absorb the performances in their entirety.

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!

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.