The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Part 4

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 28 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 Squeers
Christopher Benjamin	Vincent Crummies
Suzanne Bertish	Fanny Squeers / Peg Sliderskew
Sharon Bower	Waitress / Pitcher
Janet Dale	Mrs Snawley
Jeffery Dench	Arthur Gride
Jane Downs	Mrs Nickleby
Ian East	Roberts
Nicholas Gecks	Lord Frederick Verisopht / Jackson
Alan Gill	Gaymarsh / Westwood
Patrick Godfrey	Jennings / Mr Kenwigs / Casino Proprietor
Lucy Gutteridge	Sprouter / Madeline Bray
Cathryn Harrison	Tilda Price / Miss Petowker
Andrew Hawkins	Coates / Captain Adams / Policeman
Rose Hill	Miss La Creevy
Roderick Horn	Umpire
Griffith Jones	Tim Linkinwaters
Lila Kaye	Mrs Crummies / Mrs Squeers
Teddy Kempner	Peters / Master Percy Crummies / Mr Pluck
Timothy Kightley	My Lillyvick / Surgeon
Shirley King	Mrs Kenwigs
William Maxwell	Mr Snawley / Tomkins
John McEnery	William / Cobbey
Ian McNeice	Young Wackford Squeers / Croupier
David Lloyd Meredith	Charles Cheeryble
Sally Nesbitt	Waitress / Phib
Bob Peck	Sir Mulberry Hawk / John Browdie
Edward Petherbridge	Newman Noggs / Hawk’s Rival
Clyde Pollitt	Brooker
Christopher Ravenscroft	Mobbs / Frank Cheeryble
Hubert Rees	Ned Cheeryble
Roger Rees	Nicholas Nickleby
Emily Richard	Kate Nickleby
Mark Tandy	Bolder / Master Crummies / Mr Pyke / Policeman
David Threlfall	Smike
Hilary Townley	Hannah / Morleena Kenwigs / The Infant Phenomenon / Young Woman
Thelma Whiteley	Nurse
John Woodvine	Ralph Nickleby

Additional details

Play tags

19th-century setting; adaptation of novel

Print sources

Title

TV Times, 25 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 2 (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