The Personal History of David Copperfield

A young man strives to find his place in the eccentric world of Victorian London, navigating its quirks and challenges. The tale is delivered in Armando Iannucci’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel, starring Dev Patel and Peter Capaldi, as a programme.

The Personal History of David Copperfield is delivered as a programme, and it's shaped as a feature‑length movie. Classified within the movie genre, it presents a full‑screen narrative while being produced for a television audience. The work bridges the conventions of cinematic storytelling with the flexibility of a programme format, offering viewers a complete adaptation in a single sitting. The narrative follows a young man who is determined to locate his place within the colourful and often odd‑looking world of Victorian London. As he moves through the city's bustling streets, he confronts an environment that is both familiar and peculiarly eccentric. His quest centres on establishing a sense of belonging amid the social and cultural quirks that define the era. The production is helmed by Armando Iannucci, who has taken Charles Dickens' original novel and reshaped it for a contemporary audience. Iannucci's direction guides the translation of the 19th‑century source material into a format that retains the period's atmosphere while presenting the story in a way that resonates with modern viewers. His approach keeps the tone faithful while allowing the characters to feel immediate for today's audience. The cast features Dev Patel and Peter Capaldi, who occupy the principal roles within the adaptation. Their involvement brings recognizable contemporary talent to the classic tale, linking the historic narrative with performances that contemporary audiences can readily identify. Together, they help to convey the story's core while maintaining the connection to Dickens' original work.