Windsor Theatre Royal – until 24 January 2026
Reviewed by Joanna Huggett
5*****
“I never knew Charles Dickens could be so much fun.”
We had the absolute delight of watching the opening night of Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield” at the Theatre Royal Windsor, adapted and directed by Abigail Pickard Price to be portrayed by an exceptional cast of 3!
The play successfully re-tells the story of David Copperfield, a boy born into unlucky circumstances and passed between family and friends, and fiends, through the decades of his life. And it achieves this beautifully using only the 3 actors and a simplistic stage set.
The story takes place across many locations, across the ages, using the same simple stage set, but with tiny adaptations and furniture moves, manipulated by the cast “in-flight” during the play itself. Suitcases become tables and chairs, and then a staircase and then occasionally even suitcases. Storage chests become dining tables and then rocks on a sea coastline. It is remarkable how everything on stage is used repeatedly for more new and imaginative purposes.
Which brings me to the exceptional cast.
Eddy Payne plays the part of David Copperfield, probably the easiest part of the show given he only plays the one part, but to his credit – he does narrate the entire story from start to finish, seemingly reproducing most of the 370,000 word original book. Louise Beresford plays many many roles, including David’s mother, his eccentric aunt, his loves and not forgetting Uriah Heep. Luke Barton again plays many many roles, including Pegotty, Ham, and Mr Micawber.
With only the 3 cast, you would have assumed the adaption would ensure only 3 characters appeared on stage at any one time, but there were scenes with as many as 5, all conversing with each other and adding to the humour delivered by the bucket loads.
I won’t give away how the actors change roles, nor how they portray more than one character at a time, that in itself is a wonderful part of the fun and humour of the whole play.
But I will say that, even though I’m not that familiar with the original Charles Dicken’s book, I’m pretty sure it was never as funny and delightful as the version created by Abigail tonight. Indeed, I never knew Charles Dickens could be so much fun.
This is a must-see play, it closes in Windsor on Jan 24th, do not miss it.