Untold Theatre Company

This new production goes beyond the beloved Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations. The story is recounted from the perspective of Estella Havisham, a little girl corrupted by her guardian and raised to be a weapon of revenge. In Great Expectations, we share in Pip’s adventures. Beyond Expectations revisits the novel, this time placing Estella in the centre of the action.

We follow her journey from childhood to adulthood. Born to a passionate Gypsy mother – then adopted by Miss Havisham – Estella’s childhood is haunted by an abandoned, decaying wedding feast. As Estella becomes more beautiful, her heart grows ever more hard and cold. Her adult life of wealth and emptiness leads to a brutal, loveless marriage. Audiences are invited to journey from the wild moors of Kent, to the decadence of socialite London and back again. We watch as the lives of Pip and Estella intertwine and how she ultimately breaks his heart.

A Victorian Gothic rags-to-riches tragedy, this adaptation weaves brand new scenes into Dickens’ original tale. ‘Beyond Expectations’ combines music, puppetry and striking digital projections.

Written by Martin Levinson and Avril Silk.