Sikes is undoubtedly Charles Dickens’ most infamous villain. He is a drunkard malevolent thief who ultimately murders his loyal girlfriend Nancy when he is informed by Fagin that she has betrayed him. The characters from Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist are famous in their own right so I was interested to see this hour long new interpretation Sikes and Nancy at the Trafalgar Studios.
Entering the theatre you see performer James Swanson dressed entirely in black sitting on the stage seemingly in torment. The first couple of minutes are confusing as he begins to talk to ‘himself’ but it doesn’t take long to realise that this is not going to be a monologue. Swanson is playing two different characters.
This is not all, as during the course of the next hour Swanson plays all the characters in the lead up to Nancy’s and then ultimately his own tormented demise.
The adaptation by Swanson himself is clever and dramatic and he has the audience on the edge of their seats as the tension builds until the play’s terrifying conclusion, helped along the way by a liberal amount of fake blood, the only splash of colour in this dark tale.
There is good use made of the space and 6 wooden chairs are the only props. They become walls, doors and even the bridge where Nancy meets Mr Brownlow.
It is Swanson’s physical portrayal of each character that makes this production so mesmerising. He switches between Fagin, Sikes, Nancy and many others with ease. By altering his body language, facial expressions and voice he is able to give each character their own recognisable persona.
There have been many interpretations of Oliver Twist but this powerful, energetic full-on version will stay with me for a very long time. I shall look forward to seeing further works from James Swanson.
Sikes and Nancy runs until the January 3rd at Trafalgar Studio 2, It is part of a double bill called ‘Dickens with a Difference’ along with another one play called Miss Havisham’s Expectations. Each play can be seen separately or together.
To find out more about the Dicken’s Double including booking information click here.
2 thoughts on “Sikes and Nancy | Trafalgar Studio 2 | Review”