Great Expectations, The Playground Theatre - ★★★ - Until December 29, 2019


Adapting Dickens' to the theatre is always a challenge. His plots which are convoluted, to say the least, may work over a few hundred pages of a novel, but they usually require a lot of undramatic exposition in the theatre. The multitude of eccentric characters that populate the novels simply cannot all be squeezed onto the stage and paring is inevitable. In this production we lost Uncle Pumblechook. And then there is Dickens' wonderfully descriptive prose which is hard to bring into the play format. Here we lost the iconic last line of the novel: "I saw no shadow of another parting from her." Faced with all these issues, Lydia Vie who adapted Great Expectations for this production has done a credible job. What has been emphasised is the atmosphere of Dickens' work which Eirini Kariori's set captures quite wonderfully. The central piece of Miss Havisham's table with her sitting atop it is delightfully grotesque and effectively used throughout. Helen Bang as Miss Havisham gives a thoroughly enjoyable and totally over the top performance which dominates the show. The story which is basically about young people being manipulated by an older generation seeking personal or social vengeance is one of Dickens' darker works and originally did not have the happy ending his editor demanded. This production does a good job of catching those dark notes and bringing the audience into the author's gloomy world of false and failed expectations.

Reviewed by J.C.

 Our Score:  ☆☆☆ 

Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until December 29, 2019
Mon - Sun: 7:30 pm (except Dec 19, 24 & 25)
Wed & Sat: 2:30 pm (except Dec 25)
The Playground Theatre
Nearest station: Latimer Road
https://theplaygroundtheatre.london/events/great-expectations/

Most Popular

King of Pangea ★★ King's Head Theatre | Jun 7 - Jul 6, 2025

St. Martin in-the-fields: Lunchtime Concerts ★★★★ FREE

Intimate Apparel ★★★★★ Donmar Warehouse | Jun 20 - Aug 9, 2025

Stereophonic ★★★★ Duke of York's Theatre | May 24 - Oct 11, 2025

Edward Burra - Ithell Colquhoun ★★★★ Tate Britain | Jun 13 - Oct 19, 2025

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs ★★★ Kiln Theatre | Jun 13 - Jul 12, 2025

Showmanism ★★★ Hampstead Theatre | Jun 18 - Jul 12, 2025

Evita ★★★★ The London Palladium | Until September 6, 2025

Summer Exhibition 2025 ★★★★ Royal Academy of Arts | Jun 17 - Aug 17, 2025

4.48 Psychosis ★★★★ Royal Court Theatre | Jun 12 - Jul 5, 2025

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings