Friday, 1st December 2023 at Leeds Playhouse (Quarry Theatre).
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“Foooood, glorious foooooood”… Lionel Bart’s Oliver! boasts some of the best and most iconic ditties in musical theatre, make no mistake – and book, music and lyrics combine to do a fabulous job of bringing Charles Dickens’ famous characters to the stage in all the right shades and hues. In this production from Leeds Playhouse, the original characters, the adaptation and the cast all shine.
James Brining’s staging is light and lively for the most part, with some very stylish and inventive moments, particularly with the nighttime sequence at the undertakers, Sikes’ fate and periodic freeze frames creating sepia snapshots of key moments in real time. All are made possible by Colin Richmond’s set, which makes a blank canvas of the sizeable stage, offering perfectly barren spaces for the workhouse or Fagin’s den while also allowing for swift transitions to various places.
Musical numbers are many and make full use of the space, opening with the classic “Food Glorious Food” and running the gamut from “Consider Yourself”, “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” and “It’s a Fine Life”, to “Oom-Pah-Pah”, “I’d Do Anything” and “As Long as He Needs Me” – musical fan or not, you’ll be hard pressed to sit through this show and not realise how many numbers you know just from pop culture references alone… And Lucy Hind’s choreography, which favours sharp synchronicity and high energy, ensures every member of the audience gets a good show in this staging in the round.
Nicholas Teixeira really is perfectly cast as poor, orphaned Oliver Twist: angel-faced, with Tiny Tim proportions when at the elbow of grown-ups and a knack for reacting non-verbally just as meaningfully as he does with scripted lines. He also happens to have a sweet, clear voice with which to win our hearts as he earnestly sings out to the rafters for “Who Will Buy?” and “Where is Love?” Felix Holt’s Dodger is a perfect contrast too, exuding self-assurance and street smarts just as boldly as Teixeira’s Oliver exudes vulnerable innocence.
Jenny Fitzpatrick is wonderful as Nancy, not only mastering the fine balance of fierce independence, blind loyalty and emotional softness required of the role, but also channeling powerful vocals and heart-and-soul delivery to make three act plays of Nancy’s big musical moments. Steve Furst’s Fagin steers well clear of any problematic or iconic earlier portrayals and brings him back down to earth as a realist rather than a caricature villain, while Chris Bennett’s take on Sikes is an entertaining reverse: all stomping and glaring and growling, he’s given plenty of presence without making him too threatening for the overall tone of the piece.
While the tragedy of Oliver and Nancy’s stories are undoubtedly handled well, I’d have liked a little more bite from some other, peripheral characters to bring out a little more of the tale’s darkness, but lighter works too- and admittedly suits the cast much better, who run amok full of endearing cheek and a fair bit of swagger amidst the sweetness.
The most famous names are all brilliantly cast here, but the superb ensemble of exuberant youngsters are also treasures and a real delight to watch. It’s incredible to think this talented bunch range in age from 9 to 11 and yet turn in performances well beyond their years in terms of confidence and stage presence. This Oliver! is so reliant on its young cast to deliver the goods, and this cast certainly deliver – kudos to Keston & Keston for casting!
Oliver! may not spring to mind as a classic festive family show, but it is definitely a classic and this is a lovely option for a family show during the festive season – particularly if you’re bringing along little ones with blossoming dreams of some stage time of their own some day!
Oliver! is at Leeds Playhouse until January 27th 2024 – more information and tickets can be found here.
Always Time For Theatre 