Based on Charles Dickens’ Novel of the same name, Nicholas Nickleby is a tale of a young man’s struggle to support his mother and sister financially due to the passing of their father. Constantly under his Uncle’s scrutiny, will he ever be able to prove himself worthy?
With a cast of 24, an array of 73 characters and spread over 2 nights, Nicholas Nickleby proves to be a vibrant melting pot of fascinating characters and captivating relationships. The talented cast were able to show just how versatile they were as they took on the roles of multiple characters. Like chameleons, they changed and adapted according to the situation. Nicholas Nickleby was set in the round, meaning that all of the action was staged at the very centre of the theatre. This had its advantages as well as its disadvantages. At times I could only see certain cast members face’s whilst others had their back towards me. This meant that reactions were lost.
On the plus side, having it staged in the round meant that you were completely submerged into a completely different world. The minimalistic staging of 4 wooden blocks proved to be very effective. Used to create an array of powerful imagery from a horse and carriage to market stalls, it just went to show how a great ensemble can really bring a world alive. The Space Theatre was constantly humming with drama from stage left to stage right, upstage to downstage! All in All I give Nicholas Nickleby a 4/5.
Nicholas Nickleby
Based on the novel by Charles Dickens
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