RSC Nicholas Nickleby - Shorter version

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 3:03am

I was recently watching the tv production of the classic RSC production of Nicholas Nickleby, which I tend to do about once a year or so. This production lasts about 8 hours, but I know that in the past decade or so David Edgar edited it down to 6 hours. Has anyone seen this shorter version? Can anyone tell me what was cut?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 8:31am

The muffin fight with the audience.

[bobs3]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 12:08pm

Oh that awful tv production of the original cast in Nicholas Nickleby was ghastly -- it was shot on low-def video (which was the norm for the time) and poorly edited. Having been lucky enough to see the original production at the Plymouth Theatre I was sadly disappointed by the television production.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 12:16pm

First of all, hush, bobs.

They've cut the Kenwigses, Lillyvick and Miss Petowker as well as the scene where Nicholas sees the Crummleses for the last time before returning to Yorkshire.

The Lyric Stage Company put up a damn fine production (in some respects, maybe even a little bit better than the original…yeah, I said it) a few years back and the shorter version was the version they used.

Updated On: 2/3/14 at 12:16 PM

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 3:57pm

Thanks. Any idea what was cut from Part I other than the Kenwigs?

With regards to the video: I agree there are issues with the editing (especially on the version currently available, which is edited into 9 one-hour installments for no good reason and is missing a scene or two) but OH the performances.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 4:46pm

Oh yes, they cut the crazy next door neighbor in this version as well (I kinda always hated that scene to be honest).

After Tilda and Fanny's big fight, they moved right to the scene where Nicholas rejects Fanny and there's a line where Tilda says, "Meanwhile, Fanny had reconciled with Tilda" to which Fanny responds, "Temporarily."

Oh yes and another cut I don't particularly like. They've cut out the actual duel between Hawk and Verisopht. Which means the part where Verisopht flat-out says that since he dies an unmarried man, his debts will be dissolved. "So either way, Hawk, I'll destroy you, won't I?"

So yeah, that's all gone.

[MrJNLong]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 12:56am

Hey funny you should ask this. I just closed a production of this with my high school kids. It was one of the greatest experiences of my teaching career...although it was a bit hard to sell to audiences who wanted a quick hour and a half show and be done with it. But in the end, it went over really really well.

Any way, besides what others have already mentioned, some other things cut for the 6 hour version include some stuff with Nicholas searching for a job in Part 1 with some of the politician characters from the first scene and whatnot, I don't remember the details, but its completely gone. Also, there's a lot of Hawk/Verisopht/Pluck/Pyke stuff gone. A scene where they wake up drunk the next morning is gone. And the duel as previously mentioned (which was actually a relief since we would have had to go through a bunch of legal stuff to have guns on stage...)
Obviously just little stuff here and there as well. My favorite moment that was cut was a small conversation between Smike and Nicholas up in the attic about a kid named Dorker who died that bridged into the conversation that leads to Smike running away. Just a couple of lines...lots of little things like that...
However, its highly recommended. We were actually able to run Part 1 at 2 1/2 hours and Part 2 at 3 hours and audiences who gave it a chance loved it and didn't find it too long, so for the most part, the cuts do a great jo in making it a little more accessible for audiences...

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 8:28am

Wow, thanks, MrJNLong, I didn't even remember any of that stuff you mentioned.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 9:35am

As long as they don't cut the Crummles.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 9:42am

Don't worry, Joey, except for that one last little reunion scene at the end, they're still alive and well.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 3:18pm

These seem like mostly sensible cuts. I LOVE that duel scene, though. One of my favorite moments in the play, especially because Verisopht's turn of the screw ("Either way, I'll destroy you") is not in the book. It gives his death a bit more meaning.

Hearing the Kenwigs are gone, on the other hand, brings nothing but relief.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 4:43pm

"Hearing the Kenwigs are gone, on the other hand, brings nothing but relief."

Yeah, I believe my realization that they'd cut everything to do with that subplot was along the lines of, "Oh, thank GOD!!!"

And yes, they are sensible cuts and it does play much better, dearly as I cherish my DVD box set of the original production.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/4/14 at 7:13pm

I think audiences should get to vote what scenes they want cut like that other Dickens show.

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/9/15 at 8:11pm

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say that I'm super bummed to find out they cut the duel scene in the new version. In all the live productions I've seen of the show, it's one of the most tense and dramatic moments of the entire play, I think because the audience honestly can't guess which character is going to die. 

Not surprised they cut the Kenwigs or the crazy neighbor next door, though. Did David Edgar do the trimming himself? I suppose they realized that more theater companies could do the show if it wasn't so long.

 

Updated On: 10/9/15 at 08:11 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/9/15 at 9:03pm

 

I'm sorry they cut it. I treasured every moment of it.

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/10/15 at 10:10pm

I wonder if directors who do the abridged version have the option of putting scenes back in that were taken out?

I suppose cutting scenes is preferable to the play never being done because it's too long, but some of what was taken out is a surprise, such as the scene where Nicholas actually meets Smike. That one seems sort of important...

Updated On: 10/10/15 at 10:10 PM

[sueb1863]

Posted: 10/14/15 at 9:03pm

And I guess the version of the play that the Hartt School in Connecticut is putting on, that's in one of the articles on the BWW front page, is only FIVE hours long! If they cut all that stuff out to get it down to six and a half hours, I don't even want to think what had to go to get it down to five...

https://www.broadwayworld.com/connecticut/article/Hartt-Schools-NICHOLAS-NICKLEBY-Opens-113-20151014

Updated On: 10/14/15 at 09:03 PM