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A review of the situation
Oliver!
Malvern Theatres Young Company
*****
HISTORIC child abuse is getting a great deal of attention at the
moment and Dickens presents us with a specific kind in one of his most
famous novels – Oliver
Twist.
As an
orphaned child, Oliver is brought up in the workhouse in squalor and
deprivation. His famous plea for a second
helping of gruel brings about his ejection and subsequent entanglement
with Fagin and his pickpockets on the streets of London, as he seeks
love and acceptance in a harsh and broken world.
Lionel
Bart’s musical interprets the story with some wonderful and well-known
songs that have become part of our folk culture, and the interpretation
by the Malvern Theatres Young Company this week is a resounding success.
The
involvement of some professionals in key production roles, developing
the talents of some gifted children and young people, makes for a
polished production with bags of energy and life. The show was received
to rapt urous
applause and is a great evening’s entertainment.
There is a
large cast and this brings a richness to the more public scenes. The
choreography is excellent and matches the abilities of a varied cast
with the vivacity of the music. The design of the show is brilliant too.
The projections on the cyclorama upstage create an effective atmosphere
and a sense of geographical and physical setting.
Nicholas Wilson (Oliver) with Max Morgan (Dodger) and
Grace Harris (Nancy) with Lewis Allan (Bill Sykes) bringing up the rear
The
dramatic scene at midnight on the bridge has a particularly powerful
impact towards the climax of the story. The lighting designer played a
key role in this aspect of the show too.
The
gifted and versatile small orchestra produced beautiful sounds to
support the drama: the sensitivity of the musicians in numbers like
Nancy’s As long as he needs me
and Fagin’s I’m reviewing the situation
was brilliant.
In terms
of acting, Jacob Buckley as Fagin is an outstanding talent. He achieved
the comedy with some excellent timing and clarity of delivery. He sang
well too. For singing Grace Harris as Nancy was particularly powerful
and effective. In her red dress and with her lovely voice she achieved
real pathos at key moments. Nicholas Wilson plays a very endearing
Oliver, he too has a lovely voice and most of his singing was top notch.
These young talents were very well supported by strong performances by
Lewis Allan as the sinister Bill Sykes, Max Morgan as The Artful Dodger
and Ben Mowbray as Sowerbury. Around these standout performers the rest
of the players and ensemble players play a vital and successful role.
This
excellent production stands in a strong tradition of great productions
from this company, one that is a training ground for wonderfully
talented young players, and this all suggests that the future of musical
theatre in the nation is well assured. If you can get tickets, this is a
very entertaining evening for all, leaving one hoping for an extra
encore! To 22-08-15
Timothy Crow
19-08-15
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