Michael Sheen reprises his role as the founder father of the NHS.
Broadway World: *** “But while Sheen’s magnetic performance as the founder of the National Health Service anchors this sprawling biographical fever dream, the production itself teeters between brilliance and bewilderment, especially in its confounding first half.”
South West Londoner: “It’s an ironic shame that Price’s play isn’t similarly able to ward off cynicism without delving into unthinking worship of another national institution.”
The Standard: *** “Sheen’s Nye stumbles through it all, barefoot and in pyjamas that make him look like a teddy purchased in a hospital gift shop. Even as a cocksure adult and radical MP for Ebbw Vale his Nye never quite loses the air of a wondering child. Sheen’s protean ability has enabled him to play real people (Tony Blair, Prince Andrew), angels (Good Omens), Shakespeare heroes and even a grumpy version of himself (Staged) throughout his career. Yet he always retains a core of likeability that is key to the success of his Nye.”
London Theatre.co.uk: *** “There’s terrific mise-en-scène throughout – from Bevan’s miner father (Rhodri Meilir) dying of ‘black lung’ on a spot-lit bed, to the ensemble moving in unison as cabinet ministers, librarians and schoolchildren – but making the production this self-consciously stylised comes at the expense of a grit that could infuse the story with a sense of urgency. It’s bittersweet watching Bevan’s fight to bring the NHS into being at a time when years of cuts have left it crumbling, and when its heyday can already be looked back on as something of a fever dream.”
The Reviews Hub: *** 1/2 ” As our modern NHS struggles to maintain the original principle of a universal service free at the point of use, which ensures that illness does not bring financial worries, the biographical tale at the heart of Nye subtly highlights a terrible irony. Aneurin Bevan was the founder of the NHS, which reduced mortality rates and increased life expectancy in the process – but he may also have unwittingly laid the foundations for its own decay.”
All That Dazzles: **** “Perhaps some will find this manipulative, or cloying, trying to milk real-life changes for theatrical spectacle. Myself, I found it a touching final tribute, that Bevan and his work, and the ongoing work of medical professionals across the UK, were allowed to have that final moment of applause. Nye can be a touch too heartfelt for its own good, its dips into fantasy imagery that bit too whimsical for the serious subjects that must be approached. All of this is true, and plenty of viewers will find it overly sentimental.”
Time Out: **** “This production sometimes veers close to sentimentalism as we reach the formation of the NHS but always pull back to hit the audience somewhere real and powerful. At a time when Nye’s vision of a society that takes care of its weakest and most vulnerable feels like it’s being chipped away daily by career politicians, this play is a rallying cry for the power of empathy and bloody-minded humanitarianism.”
West End Best Friend: **** “A thought provoking and relevant piece, which will evoke laughter as well as tears, Nye is a timely reminder of the importance of the NHS, and how lucky we are to have such a healthcare system in place in the UK.”
London Theatre 1: ***** “Sheen’s Nye has to likewise be praised for the amount of researched detail to create the man of the hour. The stutter was shown with no harmful comedy to paint him as a caricature, but subtly portrayed to add alongside subtle humorous moments someone who was so passionate about life and how everyone needed to be equal. It’s easy, based on some of the evidence, to see why he was a controversial figure, but Sheen portrayed him in a way that not only acknowledged this, but allowed a sense of child-like vulnerability and innocence to emerge, making him a well-rounded, likeable character.”
The Upcoming: *** “Ultimately, Nye is refreshingly ambitious in its dedication to wild flights of fancy over the drier, expected markers of biographical drama, filtering the history of the NHS through the shifting dreamscapes of All That Jazz. Nonetheless, this approach can leave it stranded in broad melodrama that takes a simple assessment of its subject’s psychology. When a medical emergency brought the press night performance to a brief halt, leading to a wash of effusive applause upon its return, this moment seemed to bring home the play’s urgent advocacy for caring for medical care in more vivid terms than the play itself.”
British Theatre Guide: “Sliding curtains make scene changes swift, with slick choreography by Steven Hoggett and Jess Williams. Composer Will Stuart, sound designer Donato Wharton (heart monitor beeps and more) and projection designer Jon Driscoll all deserve a mention. Jason Hughes as Archie Lush is quietly present as Nye’s long-standing friend; Jon Furlong is an argumentative and double-crossing Herbert Morrison; Tony Jayawardena doubles as Winston Churchill and Doctor Dain; Stephanie Jacob in bald cap is a wily Clement Attlee. Twenty-five actors fill the stage.”
Nye continues to play at the National Theatre until the 16th August.