OLIVER!

CYGAMS at the Civic Theatre

09.11.16

Lost count of the number of Oliver!s I've seen. From the old New Theatre to countless amateur companies and schools. But Bart's songs and Dickens' story keep us coming back for more.

This is the fourth staging of the piece by Young Gen. Sallie Warrington's production is bold and colourful, set against a nice perspective London décor, misty and evocatively lit, with only a hint of panto.

And of course she has a large cast of talented youngsters to work with – from the tiniest orphan to the chubby hubby Bumble [Edward Bonney]. In the title role [shared on other nights with Gene Gardner] Tommy Edwards is a melancholy Oliver, begging for more from the Beadle on high, and making a fine coffin follower. He handles his songs well, both solo and ensemble. Jack Toland's Fagin has an unusually impressive singing voice too, while Matthew Barnes brings a strong stillness to the evil Sykes.

Hope Davies gives a moving performance as Nancy, building her Act Two solo dramatically, floored by Sykes and rising defiantly as the music swells. Bryan Cass the Musical Director.

A likeable Dodger from Charlie Toland, a lovely Widow Corney from Amy Hollingsworth with a “beguiling smile”, and amongst the supporting roles, a 24-carat cameo from Paul French as the oleaginous Sowerberry.

Some words are lost, some chances missed, and occasionally the vital spark seems lacking. But there were plenty of great moments – the chimney sweeps, Oliver's lesson in light-fingered thieving, with the gang surrounding him, his little bed amidst the Cries of London, the chorus work in Be Back Soon, It's A Fine life, led by Nancy and Izzy Churches' Bet, and the show-girls in Oom Pah Pah, the mood suddenly changing as Sykes is heard off stage.

OLIVER!

OLIVER!

Billericay Operatic Society at Brentwood Theatre

12.03.16

A tremendous Oliver! from Billericay Operatic. The whole stage used to excellent effect, with thirty orphans banging their bowls of gruel on the floor. Consider Yourself, too, a great success, with the street traders joining in as Fagin's den, kettle on the hob, is unobtrusively set behind.
Lots of other felicitous staging moments – the pick-pocket chain, the dramatic close to Act One, Who Will Buy, the adoring urchins at the end of I'd Do Anything. Jane Granby the choreographer.
Wayne Carpenter's ebullient production boasts some impressive performances, not least his own in the role of Fagin, long hair, goatee beard. Nancy is compellingly played by Sian Hopwood – blowsy with a big voice for the torch song, but touchingly dreaming of the domestic bliss she'll never know. MD Andy Prideaux is her leering Sykes.
A copybook cameo from Freda Timms as Old Sally, a knockabout double act from Bob Southgate and Gail Carpenter – a naughtily bawdy climax to I Shall Scream, a saturnine Sowerberry from Mark Clements with Annabel Lowman as his harridan of a wife.
Oliver and Dodger double cast: I saw Hamish Baumber as a convincingly vulnerable orphan, twice left alone and friendless, with Jack Beazley as his older, wiser mentor. Nice work from Charlie, too, uncredited in the programme.
Andy Prideaux's band, tucked away at the side, play their hearts out from the atmospheric overture to the last glorious encore.

OLIVER!

OLIVER!

Witham Amateur Operatic Society at the Public Hall

02.11.13

Against a splendid period London panorama, the big ensembles were a highlight of Vikki Mundell-Poole's lively Oliver! for WAOS.

The well-drilled orphans [part-singing and fancy footwork] in their subdued uniforms, dreaming of Food, Glorious Food as the Beadle's feast was carried past under their noses; most of London's lowlife crowding the stage for Consider Yourself, with a Punch and Judy show squeezing in stage right; the different levels cleverly used for the cheeky knees-up in the Cripples; the maids with brooms for Who Will Buy; the tattered brollies for I'd Do Anything. All with pin-sharp choreography and tight ensemble singing.

Charlie Smith made an engaging Oliver [though perhaps not “in proportion”], excellent in Who Will Buy, and a plucky match for nasty Noah Claypole [Edward Tunningley]. If I were a starving urchin, though, I think I might have tucked in to that apple, and to hell with diction …

Fagin – convincing hair, beard and East London accent – was George Lambeth, at his best in the reflective Reviewing the Situation, his musings nicely matched by Sandy Tate's clarinet.

Robyn Harrington sang beautifully as Nancy, and stayed firmly in character throughout her big number.

Underworld characters Dodger and Sykes were confidently done by Max Lenoir and Patrick Willis – Lenoir with cocky charm, Willis with gravel-voiced menace and a casually violent manner. Qualities not shared by Maisie, his affectionate attack dog – though, like the chorus, she was well trained and gave a very professional performance.

A large supporting cast included Liz Watson and Tim Clarke as the disgraced workhouse management, Richard Herring and Deborah Anderson as the funeral directors, Alice Tunningley as young Bet, Ron Howe and Emma Loring as the charitable Brownlow and Bedwin, and Stewart Adkins giving a consummate character cameo as Grimwig.

A very effective, versatile staging, with the double death of Nancy and her Bill one of many striking stage pictures.

The band, under MD Geoff Osborne, were on top form throughout, and while we might have welcomed more extrovert energy all round, this was a most enjoyable reminder of Lionel Bart's one and only hit show.