Great Expectations

If you ever wondered how on earth to turn a massive Dickens novel into a stage play, then look no further than this, which is truly a masterclass in adaptation. Richard Lindfield who also directs uses the device of adult Pip, at a point in his life through a dramatic entrance embodying breakdown and trauma, who then begins the play by reliving his life for us all, from the start of the novel. What’s astonishing is how well balanced this is, and how Lewis Toddhunter portrays Pip in all his ages with such ease and aplomb you completely believe that he is a young terrified child and then on through every aspect of his growing into adulthood. It’s quite simply a masterclass in acting, the way Lewis completely transforms himself fully into whichever age, through physicality, expression, and even the way he holds himself. The other device is direct address to the audience, which works beautifully. These are three things that really ought not to work unless they are absolutely perfectly balanced and nuanced, with professional level quality; meaning that this production is exactly that: professional and perfectly balanced and nuanced. Quite simply, everything in this production works to the highest standard. 

Right from the beginning, we are transported back in time with the use of old fashioned gold shell mounted footlights, yet the back of the set is representative and very modern in design, but with old fashioned pieces representing all aspects of Pip’s life and the novel to the sides of a large projection screen, which has pencil sketches of each scene, changing appropriately all the way through the production. The level of detail in the set is incredible and beautiful, and the pencil sketches by Henry Lindfield feel like you’re in the book, and it sets you in each scene as it transitions. Again, the balance of these things is achieved with absolute precision and works perfectly. We also have a Pip quote as a prelude, and during the interval, an Estella quote: reminding us of her hard heartedness. The lighting holds them beautifully; there are moments where Pip is in silhouette which are timed really well. The use of shadows and light in different scenes is gorgeous. The moment of fire is achieved brilliantly. 

What’s impressive is the fluidity, simplicity and ease of the transitions, all mercifully made by cast, almost noiselessly, while the action continues on stage. It’s an utter joy to watch transitions and scene changes accomplished this way: the way locations can change so simply just by changing the furniture. Miss Havisham’s dressing table is exactly as described in the book which is a lovely detail, and the boat being rowed on through the mist, not unlike in Phantom, was a moment of pure theatre that surprised everyone. Even the two different wheelchairs were exactly appropriate to the time. 

Special mention should go to the creators of the look of the actors: Milla Hills for costume design and Chris Horlock for wigs and makeup. The griminess was ingrained into Magwitch as if he had well and truly come from prison and lived in filth, even when he reappeared later he still looked like he could never fully be clean: a beautiful metaphor for the character and what Pip thinks of him. Estella changed hair through her life always stunning and always correct to the age, and dresses were opulent and gorgeous. Miss Havisham looked as if she had stepped straight out of the novel: so pale, with her hair and her dishevelled wedding dress indeed looking as if she had never taken it off. Anyone who has read the novel will know the character descriptions to the utmost detail that only Dickens does, and it was all honoured and visible for us to see.  

The classic story itself of Great Expectations should be familiar to most of not all: the rags to riches story of Pip, with the iconic characters of Magwitch, Miss Havisham and Estella. Most of the characters are larger than life and can sometimes struggle with portrayal on stage as it can tip into melodrama: but it’s not a factor in this production at all. The acting quality is superb, matched by the incredible adaptation and tight direction with great pace, never lagging; always driving the action forward sometimes with characters frozen while Pip narrates in direct address easily and fluidly moving the story on. It results in an intense production where the time just zips past without you noticing. There are so many moments that are outstanding it’s difficult to mention them all, but fight choreography by Nathan Charman has to be mentioned as they are incredibly realistic, with gasps and verbal exclamations coming from the audience. 

The cast are universally wonderful in all the roles, but special mention has to go to H Reeves as Magwitch, who seriously terrifies the young Pip (and the audience) and disgusts the changed adult Pip. We are terrified of him but at the same time have sympathy for him: a tricky balance to embody, yet H Reeves seems to achieve this with ease and great stage presence. Another mention must go to Emma Sayers for her nuanced portrayal of Miss Havisham: evil, broken, betrayed, abandoned. Even though we hate her, we feel sorry for her. Another tricky balance to strike, but again, Emma does this with seeming ease and delight. Her reactions to Pip being mistreated at one point with just her embodiment and facial expressions oozing delicious malicious joy is an image that stays long after the scene finishes. Another special mention has to go to Mark Beauchamp as Joe who was a last minute cast substitution and learned the part in 10 days, which nobody would ever know, as his portrayal is faultless. He has such wonderful stage presence as Pip’s sometimes father figure, sometimes brother: the genuinely nice character who even Pip mistreats at points.  

Something unique that this production contains is two separate endings, as Richard Lindfield writes in his introduction, Dickens was urged by friends to write a happier ending as readers would be too unhappy with his original. Here they are presented together, so the romantics can choose the happy one, and the realists can choose the original sad one. It’s beautifully done, and discomforting when the second version begins because they start so exactly the same it’s like deja vu: which is an incredible achievement by the actors Lewis Toddhunter and Amy Brangwyn. 

This is a slick, intense and beautiful production of professional quality in every level. The biggest congratulations should go to every member of the cast and crew as it is so clear the amount of work that went into it to get it to this level must have been enormous. It is quite simply outstanding in every aspect. A triumph. 

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