Smike

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Smike is a pop musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby, that was once televised for the BBC. The production starred Beryl Reid as Mrs Squeers, Leonard Whiting as Nicholas, and Ian Sharrock as Smike. A cast album was released on Pye records, including the songs from that production, but not all of the songs used in the stage version.

Smike
Music	Roger Holman and Simon May
Lyrics	Roger Holman and Simon May
Book	Clive Barnett and Simon May
Based upon	Nicholas Nickleby
Productions	Surbiton Assembly Rooms (1973)

It was originally devised in 1973 at Kingston Grammar School by two teachers, Simon May (who became a successful television composer) and Clive Barnett, where it was again produced in December 2005. The third contributor was Roger Holman. The original cast featured Neil Fox.

Songs include "Don't Let Life Get You Down" and "In the Warm Light of a Brand New Day". "We'll Find Our Day" was recorded by Mark Rattray and Emma Robbins, and featured on the album New Vintage: The Best of Simon May. Simon May's 1977 album "Summer of My Life" included "Don't Let Life Get You Down" and "In the Warm Light of a Brand New Day".

It was also performed by the young persons' theatre school Sands Theatre Arts School at the Old Fire Station Theatre in Oxford.

It has also often been performed by Amateur Dramatic Societies around the UK. It has been performed by South-West theatre companies Kingston Vale Operatic and Dramatic Society and NEMCOM. It is a very popular musical with people young and old.