Dragon Review: David Copperfield – Guildford Shakespeare Company

Published on: 18 Feb, 2026
Updated on: 19 Feb, 2026

By Isabelle Trubshaw

At the drop of a hat, a small thunderclap, and a pinch of imagination, Holy Trinity church was swiftly transported back to the 19th century, while marking Guildford Shakespeare Company’s 20th anniversary.

Luke Barton, Louise Beresford and Eddy Payne in David Copperfield. Harry Elletson

Abigail Pickard Price’s stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, produced by founders Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches, has finally landed on home soil.

From its London premier to Theatre Royal Windsor, The New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, and now Guildford – there was no better way to finish off this superb UK tour!

Squeezing decades of Dickens’ narrative into a 120-minute performance with just three actors is no small feat, and certainly came at no cost to entertainment.

Neil Irish’s intimate yet effective set design, complete with three windows and two doors, became a Narnian-like portal of ingenuity. At the mere snap of a lighting change or the chime of a bell, those two unadorned doors opened onto a bedroom, a warehouse, a school – even a ship!

There was certainly no time for a doze when, in the blink of an eye, Luke Barton and Louise Beresford – in her GSC debut – metamorphosed into 18 different characters.

Aided with little more than a hat, dress, cloak, or puppet, and propelled by Amy Lawrence’s sharp movement direction, each transition was seamless and commendable.

Louise Beresford as Emily. Harry Elletson

Hats off, quite literally, to Barton’s versatile shifts in voice and demeanour between the cruel Mr Mudstone, the optimistic Mr Micawber, the eccentric Mr Dick and the steadfast Peggotty, all of whom drew notable reaction from the audience throughout the night.

Eddy Payne’s performance of David Copperfield was energetic throughout, barely leaving the set nor taking a breath. At times, Payne’s performance leaned toward the dramatic, with only subtle alterations between his portrayal of Copperfield as a boy and as an adult.

In the absence of amplified sound, his voice was occasionally muffled under the shuffling of his feet as he narrated the passage of Copperfield’s life. Still, this never diminished his storytelling, which he told with passion and clarity.

The spirit of Pickard Price’s adaptation was comical, at times almost farcical – from young Copperfield dramatically fainting at the news of his mother’s death to Miss Betsey quite literally “battling” a donkey.

While this occasionally drifted from Dickens’ more sombre themes of genuine tragedy and crisis, it ultimately aligned well with his sharp wit and humour, prompting many a laugh and more than a few roars in the audience throughout the night.

Boarding school scene: Harry Elletson

Given the time constraints of the performance, Dickens’ rich detail and vivid description were inevitably lost, particularly in the second act when certain scenes felt rushed.

While a few members of the audience remarked that “the performance was slightly too long”, Pickard Price nonetheless masterfully condensed a life story into an electric, innovative, and entertaining production suitable for all age groups.

This GSC production continues until the 28th of February – book your tickets here.