A Tale of Two Cities is not your typical Dickens story on several counts. It doesn’t have that rich kaleidoscope of eccentric characters – people like Magwitch, Fagin or Mr Pickwick; it is the only Dickens novel that is set, in part, abroad; its subject matter does not deal with the seamier side of London low life and it has a very unconvoluted, linear story line. And it is that last factor that gives the piece its strength. It is basically a simple romance with all the drama of a modern thriller thrown in for good measure, making it ideally suited to stage adaptation. In many ways it is similar to Les Miserables and who knows what would have happened if they had decided to make a musical of the Dickens book rather than of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece?

Mike Poulton’s excellent adaptation has a few bits of music and a couple of songs but is essentially drama, and jolly good drama at that. He has managed to create a very clear divide between London and Paris and evoked the late eighteenth century atmosphere of both. The story, as we all know, is set in the period leading up to, and during the early days of, the French Revolution. It concerns a group of people who have family or business ties in both countries and are frequent travellers between the two. The odd man out is young Sydney Carton, a dissolute lawyer who is constantly questioning his raison d’être until he finds one in the beautiful heroine of the piece, Lucie Manette. All parties get caught up in the horrific events of 1789 and contrive a swift Brexit with no messing about.

There were some fine performances in this production by the very commendable Royal & Derngate in Northampton and the Touring Consortium. I liked Joseph Timms as the self-loathing Mr Carton and the two older gentlemen, Dr Manette, played by Patrick Romer and Lorry, played by Michael Garner – both were convincing and pleasing. For the ladies, Noa Bodner was a blood curdling Mme Defarge, nicely counterpointed by the demure Lucie Manette, played by Shanaya Rafaat.

But, it must be said, the real star of the show was the production itself. The concept, direction and, above all, the design, were outstanding and of the very highest quality. This is a production that would grace any stage in the land and is as good as I have seen anywhere, and I mean anywhere, in recent times. Breathtaking is a word I am loath to use but this was one of those shows where you sit there, snug in your seat, and are very conscious of enjoying every second and not wanting it to end.

Designer Mike Britton has come up with a monumental masterpiece of a set, matched only by the exquisite and powerful lighting by Paul Keogan. It is all grey, sombre stone-like textures apart from the exterior English scene which has a fuzzy back-cloth like those you see in Victorian photographic studio portraits. James Dacre’s direction was also spot-on and the three combined to produce a totally satisfying piece of theatre. It is hard to pick out high-spots because it was all so good but I particularly liked the scene in the Marquis St. Evrémonde’s chateau with its long, white-clothed table, two candelabras and sense of opulent decadence which, not surprisingly, became an early target for les sans-coulotte.

This brilliant production is as good as anything you will currently see on stage and comes very highly recommended.  ★★★★★   Michael Hasted    16^th November 2016