Although forced to travel because of homelessness and poverty, there is a sense of adventure and excitement about Nell and Grandpa’s journey out of London and up to Shropshire. This is down to the ensemble's excellent story telling - Theatre Alibi strikes a great balance between the quirky and the believable, the comic and the dramatic.

 

Derek Frood steals the show as the lewd Quilp (and meets his end in a darkly comic fashion), whilst Malcolm Hamilton is enchanting as the adorable, romantic rapper, Dick Swiveller. His song with the Marchioness was a real highlight, and a very moving part of the play.

 

In the book, the unnamed ‘single gentleman’ who searches for Nell and Grandpa is the latter’s younger brother, however in this adaptation he becomes Nell’s father - whom she has believed to be dead all her life. Despite Christian Flint’s peculiar characterisation of Mr Exe as a stiff, ominous, Barbour-wearing, Landrover-driving mystery man, there is a distinct tragedy to his situation, as the play ends minutes before he can discover Nell’s death. The sadness on stage as Nell's corpse is cradled by her childhood friend Kit is much enhanced by what we can imagine follows - Mr Exe's discovery of his dead daughter.

 

The Curiosity Shop sees Theatre Alibi doing what they do best: telling a heartfelt tale with theatrical thought and expertise.