Nicholas Nickleby 1981 Broadway Gold Foil Window Card Roger Rees 14x22 For Sale

Original 1981 Broadway gold-foil Window Card for the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, starring Roger Rees at the Plymouth Theatre.

The most distinctive feature of this example is its reflective metallic gold-foil background, which gives the card a much richer appearance than an ordinary printed poster. Over the gold surface, the design uses bold red title lettering and high-contrast black photographic imagery, dominated by Roger Rees as Nicholas Nickleby with his fist raised. Smaller character portraits and scenes form a dense theatrical collage along the lower portion.

The card advertises the production as a 14-week-only engagement, beginning performances September 23 and ending January 3, and prominently identifies the Royal Shakespeare Company and Plymouth Theatre.

From the supplied photographs, the card presents strongly overall. There is light edge and corner wear, some minor surface rubbing/scuffing visible in the reflective foil, and age-related spotting and toning to the reverse. The gold surface, red typography, and central imagery remain bright and visually striking.

This is the original 1981 Broadway production, not the later Broadway revival.

PRODUCTION & HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, adapted by David Edgar from Charles Dickens, was one of the major theatrical events of the early 1980s. The Broadway production began previews at the Plymouth Theatre on September 23, 1981, officially opened October 4, and completed its scheduled limited engagement on January 3, 1982. It played 49 performances of each of its two parts.

Roger Rees starred as Nicholas Nickleby, with a large RSC ensemble that included David Threlfall, Edward Petherbridge, Alun Armstrong, John Woodvine, Emily Richard, Priscilla Morgan, Bob Peck, and Christopher Benjamin.

The production was directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, with scenic design by John Napier and Dermot Hayes, costumes by John Napier, lighting by David Hersey, and music and lyrics by Stephen Oliver. The Broadway engagement was presented by James M. Nederlander, The Shubert Organization, Elizabeth I. McCann, and Nelle Nugent in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The production won the Tony Award for Best Play, while Roger Rees won Best Actor in a Play and Nunn and Caird won for direction. Its relatively short Broadway calendar run reflected the announced limited engagement, not a commercial flop.

WHY THIS IS A STRONG COLLECTOR PIECE

The gold-foil finish is the key distinguishing feature of this card and gives it unusually strong display appeal. The reflective surface changes with the light and makes the deep black imagery and vivid red lettering stand out dramatically.

It also represents a major Tony-winning Broadway production and one of Roger Rees’ defining stage roles. The RSC connection, Charles Dickens source material, Nunn/Caird direction, and John Napier design pedigree broaden its appeal beyond standard Broadway memorabilia.

For a collector, this version is especially attractive because the gold-foil presentation feels more substantial and visually distinctive than a standard flat-printed Window Card.

SIZE & SHIPPING

Approx. 14 x 22 inches

Will be shipped flat for safety