Review: Nye

I love the theatre, politics and the NHS, so when they come together, I'm eager and excited to learn more – Nye, by Tim Price, about the founder of the NHS, does not disappoint. This new play – premiered at the National Theatre with Michael Sheen as Nye Bevan in 2023 and due to be revived in 2025 – is set in Britain during the founding of the NHS in 1948.

The play tracks Labour politician Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan as he lies ill in a hospital, reflecting on his life. This makes the play non-linear as the narrative shifts to flashbacks including his father's death from lung disease due to mining, his childhood punishments for his stammer, and his early political career, including confrontations with Winston Churchill over his policies. A brilliantly written flashback occurs early in the play at Sirhowy Elementary School in 1908, highlighting Bevan's early struggles that fuel his determination to fight for social justice and equality. The young Nye defies his schoolteacher, Mr Orchard, who caned him for his stammer. By the end of the scene, Nye successfully rallies the entire class to protest against the cane-happy Mr Orchard, foreshadowing the powerful politician he is destined to become. The brilliance of this scene lies not only in its writing but also in the opportunities it presents for innovative and exciting staging. At the start, the domineering presence of the teacher contrasts sharply with the students’ collective strength by the end. With minimal staging – just a few tables and chairs to represent the classroom – there is ample opportunity for fantastic physical theatre to capture the scene's emotional impact.