The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part 2

Summary

1982 Channel 4 presentation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, David Edgar’s stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel. Presented in four parts on subsequent Sundays. Produced in association with RM Productions.

Theatre play

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by David Edgar [more information]

Play synopsis

'Edgar’s writing for the stage is avowedly political and his treatment of Dickens’s novel, with its descriptions of poverty and as its central subject matter the wickedness of money-broker Ralph Nickleby, sought to draw parallels between the social conditions of 1830s Britain with what he saw as the growing political climate of selfishness in the 1980s.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_and_Adventures_of_Nicholas_Nickleby_%28play%29.

Production history

'The opening night was on 5 June 1980. The show ran for an 8-week season at the Aldwych Theatre, playing Part 1 on some nights and Part 2 on others with both parts playing together on matinée and evening performances. It was revived for two further 8-week runs at the Aldwych in the autumn season of 1980 and the spring season of 1981 before being filmed for Primetime TV at the Old Vic Theatre and transferring to Broadway for the autumn season of 1981. A further revival with a substantially different cast played at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford and toured to Los Angeles and Broadway in 1985.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_and_Adventures_of_Nicholas_Nickleby_%28play%29.

Date of transmission

Sunday 14 November 1982

Time

7.00-9.00pm

Channel

Channel 4

Production company

Primetime Television

Theatre company

Royal Shakespeare Company

Credits

Director

Jim Goddard

Producer

Colin Callender

Playwright

David Edgar

Book by

Charles Dickens

Music

Stephen Oliver

Lyrics

Stephen Oliver

Designer

John Napier

Cast

Alun Armstrong	Mr Wagstaff
Christopher Benjamin	Vincent Crummies
Suzanne Bertish	Milliner / Fanny Squeers / Miss Snevellicci
Sharon Bower	Milliner / Mrs Kenwigs’ Sister / Miss Bravessa
Janet Dale	Miss Knag / Miss Belvawney / Mrs Cutler
Jeffery Dench	Mr Cutler / Landlord
Jane Downs	Mrs Nickleby / Miss Green
Ian East	Milliner / Mr Crowl
Nicholas Gecks	Lord Frederick Verisopht
Alan Gill	George
Patrick Godfrey	Mr Kenwigs
Lucy Gutteridge	Milliner / Young Fiancee / Miss Ledrock
Cathryn Harrison	Milliner / Miss Petowker
Andrew Hawkins	Mr Hetherington
Rose Hill	Miss La Creevy / The Lady Downstairs / Mrs Grudden
Roderick Horn	Pugstyles
Griffith Jones	Old Lord / Mr Fluggers
Lila Kaye	Mrs Crummies
Teddy Kempner	Benjamin / Percy Crummies / Mr Pluck
Timothy Kightley	My Lillyvick / Col. Chowser
Shirley King	Mrs Kenwigs / Mrs Lenville
William Maxwell	Milliner / Mr Pailey
John McEnery	Mr Mantalini
David Lloyd Meredith	Sir Matthew Pupker
Sally Nesbitt	Milliner / Miss Gazingi
Bob Peck	Sir Mulberry Hawk
Edward Petherbridge	Newman Noggs
Clyde Pollitt	Mr Folair
Stephen Rashbrook	Milliner / Mr Bane
Christopher Ravenscroft	Mr Lenville / Mr Snobb
Hubert Rees	Mr Curdle
Roger Rees	Nicholas Nickleby
Emily Richard	Kate Nickleby / Mrs Curdle
Mark Tandy	Mr Pyke
David Threlfall	Smike
Hilary Townley	Hannah / Milliner / Morleena Kenwigs / The Infant Phenomenon
Thelma Whiteley	Mme Mantalini
John Woodvine	Ralph Nickleby

Additional details

Play tags

19th-century setting; adaptation of novel

Print sources

Title

TV Times, 11 November 1982 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 47

Associated programmes

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part 1 (Primetime Television, 1982)
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by David Edgar
Channel 4

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part 3 (Primetime Television, 1982)
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by David Edgar
Channel 4

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part 4 (Primetime Television, 1982)
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by David Edgar
Channel 4