Bakehouse Theatre – Studio, Monday, February 17
It’s 1830 in Dickensian London, so it’s the language, manners, and humour of another time. And that is a large part of the appeal of this production. How often do you hear such quaint phrases as ‘a token of outward satisfaction’ or ‘murmured a bashful acceptance’? If as a contemporary citizen you can cope with utterances of more than 140 characters (!) you’ll appreciate the richness of the vocabulary used here. Nigel Nevinson delivers a deft portrayal of multiple characters that is polished and entertaining. OK – some of the jokes which may have been very funny nearly 200 years ago now seem a bit twee, but there’s a charm at work here that tells an interesting moral tale, and also has something to say about the slippery nature of lawyers – not everything’s changed! A wonderful way of becoming familiar with the background to a classic of English literature. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Rating: **** The Trials and Tribulations of Mr Pickwick continues at Bakehouse Theatre – Studio until Saturday, March 1. * This review also appears on Rip It Up
