GREAT EXPECTATIONS

REVIEWS

‘Pure Theatre… Graham McLaren’s inventive, physical, impressionistic direction… its two sharp one hour acts honor both playful demands of living theatre and the themes of the book… brooding Miss Havisham (a particularly fine, icy Paula Wilcox) and the convict Magwitch (Chris Ellison a terrifying, moving, ruined giant)… the child, like any child, is a puzzled onlooker amid gigantic caricatures: absurd Wopsle, violent Mrs Joe, sharp Estella… the culmination [is] thrilling’
THE TIMES

'A resounding success… manages to communicate in 2 hours and 20 minutes, [the book's] humanity, more importantly, it works as a stand-alone piece of drama… an eerie and fantastical atmosphere… beautifully realised recreation of Miss Havisham's rotting wedding banquet… McLaren deserves credit for giving his audience a suprising amount of larks… Taylor Jay-Davies (Young Pip) is an actor of extraordinary power… a star has undoubtedly been born'

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

'Robin People's set is impressively detailed and evocative'… Taylor Jay-Davies is highly convincing as both Pip as a boy, and also when he is later in London as a younger adult.… Meticulously-directed and worthy adaptation… Totally absorbing... Poignant... Compelling’ LONDONTHEATRE.CO.UK

‘The set is magnificent: splendid and rotten… Clifford’s script nails the balance between poetic eloquence and wry satire… evocative arrangements of characters and innovative use of the chorus… every scene composed with a painterly attention to detail… Taylor Jay-Davies graduates flawlessly with precision as well as heart.’
ONE STOP ARTS

Great Expectations Beckman Unicorn Vaudeville Theatre

‘A spectacular cast and an awe-inspiring creative team… heart warming, moving and emotional piece… edge of your seat… Taylor Jay- Davis and Josh Elwell stole the show by putting on fantastic performances respectively.’ WESTENDWILMA

‘The stage is extraordinary lavish… Graham McLaren’s direction is gripping… cunningly conceived… Wonderfully thought out and sumptuously staged adaptation… wickedly gorgeous set’ THE UPCOMING

'A striking piece of theatre… potently evocative… a dreamlike quality' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Dickens, as ever, spins a good moral yarn of conscience and coincidence…
Jo Clifford's adaptation is sure-footed and has some chillingly effective moments' SUNDAY EXPRESS

'An exceptional and breathtaking production that breathes originality and life into one of Dickens most loved books… this production will blow your mind and the cast are all too worthy of their place in the West End.' THE NEW CURRENT

Great Expectations Beckman Unicorn Vaudeville Theatre Robin Peoples

'Utterly compelling… plenty of excitement, mystery and romance to enthral… something for everyone in this play… a cracking pace with surprises at every turn' THEATRE WORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE

'The production has the power to draw you in to Dickens's always gripping plot… heightened, hallucinatory Dickens… a surreal macabre dream… there's no denying the inventiveness' DAILY EXPRESS

Great Expectations - Paula Wilcox - Miss Havisham

'Jo Clifford's adaptation is a triumph' WHATSONSTAGE.COM

'This stunning adaptation is not to be missed… all the actors are exceptional and bring to life this eerie story with great performances… of particular note is Taylor Jay-Davies in the demanding rôle of Young Pip: expertly portrays the journey from boy to manhood… wowed the audience with its intense story-telling, atmospheric staging and incredible performances… a masterclass in staging and design' STV

'Stunning… extraordinary… remarkable… superb… extraordinary range of characters… Paul Wilcox impresses as Miss Havisham… superb performance from Taylor Jay-Davies as Young Orphan Pip… this remarkable production, cleverly adapted by Jo Clifford, exceeds expectations'

BIRMINGHAM MAIL

'Gloriously gothic… deliciously dark… marvellously macabre… it may be another two hundred years before an adaptation of such quality as this is produced… production values throughout the show were never anything less than utterly outstanding' UK THEATRE NETWORK

'Exciting, thrilling, dynamic high level of production… a very atmospheric, stylistically stunning show' THEPUBLICREVIEWS.COM

'Poignant and deeply tragic… wonderfully executed… darkly original and exciting… delivers on all acounts… a dangerous mix of eccentricity, madness and vulnerability… explosive' AYOUNGERTHEATRE.COM

'Adult Pip played with great style by Paul Nivison… Magwitch, played by Chris Ellsion, transforms in an instant from kindly fellow to frightening vermin… a thrilling, imaginative adaptation that deserves a wide audience – see it if you can!' THEPUBLICREVIEWS.COM - AYLESBURY

'A stunning production with monstrous larger-than-life characters and ghoulish memories of times gone by which return to haunt the living… Paul Wilcox (Miss Havisham) cuts a fine figure as literature's most tragic of heroines' BUCKS HERALD

'Great production enhanced by a great cast… beautiful set and wonderful costumes… if you don't see anything else this year, see this!' THEPUBLICREVIEWS.COM

'Spectacularly brought to life in this chilling, eerie production… Paul Wilcox captivates as jilted bride Miss Havisham and Chris Ellison striking as terrifying convict Magwitch… Young Pip, sensitively played by Taylor Jay-Davies; narrated by Adult Pip (Paul Nivison) remains in tandem with his young self - cleverly come together for an end that sees a shocking revelation' SALISBURY JOURNAL

'An intriguingly gothic and suitably eerie theatre experience that should be equally accessible and enjoyable to bothe the ardent Dickesn enthusiast and casual theatre-going audience' THE SHUTTLE

'A strangely delirious, haunting and transfixing spectacle… Jo Clifford's talent is in condensing a complex novel to a two hour play… she has created a seamless narrative… mightily impressive set… definitive lighting is acute and atmospheric… uber-gothic direction and vision… stunning costumes by Annie Gosney and Giovanni Bedin' GUIDE2BRIGHTON

'An exemplary production… great set and performances which vividly bring to life a colourful cast of characters adn a script which also has a keen eye on the social injustices of the book… one of the finest scenes has Paul Nivision's Pip describing the mass sentencing of a group of men, women and children who are to be hanged: a heartfelt excoriation of the Victorian penal system' GSCENE.COM

'A refreshing and glorious work of art… Dickens would have delighted in the wonderful and fantastic portrayals of the grotesque characters' WEST SUSSEX GAZETTE

'A magical, Dickensian circus of horrors presented for your delectation… the entire cast and creative team must be congratulated on this exquisite production… atmospheric lighting and sound… the dramatic physical and vocal portayals are captivating… exquisite' WORCESTER STANDARD

'Exceptional… hurtles through the narrative withoutu losing any of the raw intensity of the original… breath-taking set, sophisticated lighting and elegant costumes… audience is held enraptured by hte chilling, primal howl Paula Wilcox unleashes as Miss Havisham' RICHMOND MAGAZINE

'Full of style, atmosphere, anguish and period… blown away by the whole theatrical experience… what theatre should be all about' GC JEL

Great Expectations Jo Clifford Graham McLaren Beckman Unicorn

'A visionary theatrical reminder of a classic… an unashamedly lavish production' SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO

'Staged with immense style, compelling throughout and brilliantly realised… a massive production, lavish in every sense and never once lacking the real heart of a Dickens: that fine balance of tragedy, comedy, horror, fear and philanthropy' THELATEST.CO.UK

'Utterly brilliant… Jo Clifford does a magnificent job in keeping the macabre, soul-destrouing darkness intact… a version of the story which is the closest to how Dickens wanted his story to be known… Estella played by Grace Rowe, was the epitome of stone-hearted' WHAT'S ON NORTH EAST

'Impressive… impossible to find fault with any aspect of the production' TEESDALE MERCURY

'PURE THEATRE' The Times – 'A RESOUNDING SUCCESS' Sunday Telegraph

'EXTRAORDINARILY LAVISH' The Upcoming – 'EXCEPTIONAL AND BREATHTAKING' Theatre World Magazine

'CHILLINGLY EFFECTIVE' Sunday Express – 'A STRIKING PIECE OF THEATRE' Daily Telegraph