Sheen handles the part with natural charm
Last year saw the nation celebrate 75 years of the NHS. A great feat for an institution that struggled so much to come into existence and which has faced many challenges since, writes Christopher Peacock.
Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, the Health and Housing Minister in Clement Attlee’s government who spearheaded its creation, has his life played out in Nye, a new co-production from the National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre by Tim Price.
Price has opted to tell the life of Nye Bevan in a series of flashbacks. All sprung from the hospital bed Bevan is in receiving care after surgery for a stomach ulcer. All of his care was in the hands of the NHS that he was pivotal in conceiving.
The son of a miner from a small Welsh town, much of his early life was typical of the poor working class of South Wales. His journey would lead down a path less travelled as he progressed through politics to hold one of the highest positions in government.
We see his life in semi-fantasy, we fly through early schooling, prolonged unemployment and political organising to his career in the house of Commons, meeting MP Jennie Lee – whom he would go on to marry – and his battles with politicians and doctors in establishing the NHS.
In the hands of director Rufus Norris, the ensemble cast help spin us through Bevan’s world in dreamlike vignettes. Matched with wonderful set design from Vicki Mortimer and the lighting design of Paule Constable the scenes flow effortlessly; the efficiency of design of the hospital curtains and beds move us from hospital, to the bar, to parliament and back again with comfortable ease.
The play, as you might have suspected, relies heavily on the performance of the lead role. In this case Michael Sheen steps into the shoes and, in what will come as little surprise, handles the part excellently and with natural charm.
A biography played through flashbacks can be overly simplistic, a greatest hits album of a person’s life, and Price’s play looks to tell it all. This does make it a rather long show and in wanting to cover a lot of ground there are parts of Bevan’s life and his relationships that have a lot more drama in them to mine.
As we are all well aware, the NHS is a fragile institution that is passed around as a political ball. Its need for constant change and evolution was not lost on Bevan, keen to fight for giving every man woman and child dignity in their time of need. This is an important piece of theatre for not only showing how hard fought it was for the NHS to be created, but for the legacy of such an important British politician.
National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 until 11th May. Mon – Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat matinees 2.15pm.
Admission: £20 – £89.
Booking: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
