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A review by saareman
Nye by Tim Price
5.0
A Life of Nye
A review of the Methuen Drama paperback (March 20, 2024).
This is an outstanding play by Welsh playwright Tim Price which covers the life of Aneurin "Nye" Bevan (1897-1960), who was instrumental in creating the UK's National Health Service in 1948. It is done in a somewhat surrealistic fashion with Bevan at the end of life in hospital in 1960 reliving his past with scenes from his childhood, home life, labour organizing, and parliamentary life. It culminates with the successful introduction of the NHS in 1948 which fades poignantly into Bevan's own passing.
Curtain call at the end of "Nye" as broadcast by National Theatre Live with Michael Sheen (wearing pyjamas) as Nye Bevan along with many members of the cast.
I wanted to read the play in parallel with seeing the recent National Theatre Live production which was enormously elaborate and involved multiple fast scene changes combined with film and other lighting and sound effects.
There were not many changes from the printed page to the stage version, although I did note in the concluding slides that the wording in the stage adaptation differed slightly from the original text:
Trivia and Links
If you are reading this before November 11, 2024 you can still see this for free on National Theatre Live (NTLive) from November 7 to 10, 2024 as a fundraiser stream which is available on YouTube here.
Read a Variety article about the free broadcast here.
See two trailers for the NTLive production on YouTube here and here.
If you miss the free YouTube streaming and the NTLive in cinemas broadcasts, the Nye production will likely show up eventually at the NT at Home pay-per-view streaming channel here.
A review of the Methuen Drama paperback (March 20, 2024).
This is an outstanding play by Welsh playwright Tim Price which covers the life of Aneurin "Nye" Bevan (1897-1960), who was instrumental in creating the UK's National Health Service in 1948. It is done in a somewhat surrealistic fashion with Bevan at the end of life in hospital in 1960 reliving his past with scenes from his childhood, home life, labour organizing, and parliamentary life. It culminates with the successful introduction of the NHS in 1948 which fades poignantly into Bevan's own passing.
Curtain call at the end of "Nye" as broadcast by National Theatre Live with Michael Sheen (wearing pyjamas) as Nye Bevan along with many members of the cast.
I wanted to read the play in parallel with seeing the recent National Theatre Live production which was enormously elaborate and involved multiple fast scene changes combined with film and other lighting and sound effects.
There were not many changes from the printed page to the stage version, although I did note in the concluding slides that the wording in the stage adaptation differed slightly from the original text:
Within ten years of the creation of the NHS, infant mortality decreased by 50%.
Since its founding, life expectancy has increased by 12 years.
Every day 1.3 million people are treated, based on clinical need, not the ability to pay.
Trivia and Links
If you are reading this before November 11, 2024 you can still see this for free on National Theatre Live (NTLive) from November 7 to 10, 2024 as a fundraiser stream which is available on YouTube here.
Read a Variety article about the free broadcast here.
See two trailers for the NTLive production on YouTube here and here.
If you miss the free YouTube streaming and the NTLive in cinemas broadcasts, the Nye production will likely show up eventually at the NT at Home pay-per-view streaming channel here.