Thirty-five years after Charles Dickens first published Nicholas Nickleby, Andrew Halliday's dramatization opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London, where it quickly became the most successful production of the 1875 season. After a long succession of other adaptations, Halliday's version was hailed by critics at the time as the best adaptation of the novel to be produced on the London stage. It ran for over 175 performances, saw three revivals and had a successful New York production in 1877. Andrew Halliday was a gifted and respected playwright of the Victorian era. His plays generally had lengthy runs and where applauded for their originality and sophistication. His plays were produced by the Drury Lane, Strand Theatre, Royalty Theatre, among others.