Reviewed by The Magic Hatter
A musical twist on the Charles Dickens’ classic is brought to life by York Light Opera, with a large cast of both children and adults. But is it a Fine, Fine Life for theatregoers this half-term, or will they feel like they’ve had their pockets picked?
Find out below…
From the opening number, Food Glorious Food, it’s clear this is a tight and polished amateur production. I hesitate to use the word amateur here, as it can suggest poor quality, rather than that the actors are unpaid and largely untrained. In reality though, the whole cast work well together to create something that may not be West End worthy, but certainly isn’t devoid of talent, high production values and honed vocals.
Generally the performers excel, with bags of enthusiasm and tight choreography. Matthew Warry as Oliver has the naivety and sombre tinge of an orphan down to a tea, and Sam Piercey plays cheeky-chappy Dodger well. Both boys can certainly hold a tune and act well, and I was especially impressed to read that these are their first roles for York Light Opera.
Neil Wood as Mr Bumble has some of the strongest vocals; he bellows Boy for Sale brilliantly and his interaction with Widow Corney, played by Pascha Turnbull, is a delight. Turnbull (intentionally!) shrieks her way through I Shall Scream, whilst fighting off the advances of a lust-struck Bumble.
Emma-Louise Dickinson’s Nancy nails the vocals too, and Fagin (Rory Mulvihill) clearly relishes playing the miserly misfit. His interaction with his gang of boys – and for the first time in any production of Oliver I’ve seen – girls too, is a joy to see. Moments of poignancy make Fagin more rounded and less of a caricature and, despite being a long-time thief, it is hard not to feel for the aging crook.
The children all did exceptionally well, especially balancing rehearsals and show nights with school and homework. Stand out numbers for us were Consider Yourself, Pick a Pocket or Two and Who Will Buy? The stage-filling ensemble songs really shine here.
Who’s a Good Boy?
Special mention too must go to canine cast member Roy as Bill Sykes dog Bullseye, obedient and well-trained with no little presents left on the stage! An animatronic cat in the first act though was a little clunky and unnecessary; one of the few effects we weren’t really…feline.
Rags to Riches
In terms of design, the production does well to capture the essence of Victorian London – from a workhouse, slums and bawdy bars to an upper-class street scene and even London Bridge. Costumes range from rags to resplendent finery, and more top hats than a Hatter’s hatstand! Fagin’s den, adorned with colourful handkerchiefs and stolen trinkets, stood out for us.
Live music under the musical direction of John Atkin adds a real richness to the production and made some of the catchier numbers all the more enjoyable. This audience were toe-tapping along, mouthing the words and even singing to some of the more familiar ditties!
Overall, the production wasn’t punchy enough for our three-year-old, nor did we really expect it to be at two and a half hours long (and starting past his bedtime) On hearing Mr Bumble he was excited at the prospect of seeing, as he thought he’d heard, Mr Tumble! The most junior Hatter was restless in the first half and fell asleep in the second, but has been talking about the parts he remembered since.
Our six-year-old however fared better and thoroughly enjoyed his first experience of a full live musical. Highlights for him were Fagin and gang’s frantically fun You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two and Mr Bumble’s bumbling posturing. He now wants to use my magician’s silk handkerchiefs to practice pick-pocketing from my dressing gown at home!
Some of the songs that don’t make the movie cut are forgettable, and some scenes needed a little extra Oom Pah Pah but overall the energy is high, and the enthusiasm abundant. It’s worth remembering that this is not a professional production, and that the performers are in it for the enjoyment and experience alone. And supporting a show like this also means supporting burgeoning new talent.
On a practical note, we would suggest a slightly earlier start time, as the show finished close to 10pm; late for any children in the audience on a school night (although there are weekend performances too, and most of the upcoming dates fall in half-term)
If you’re looking for some theatrical fun this half-term, it’s definitely a show you should Consider Yourself…just the tonic for this gruel-ling winter!
MAGIC RATING 
VALUE FOR MONEY 
OVERALL
Oliver! runs at York Theatre Royal until February 22nd. Tickets range from £12 to £31, and family tickets are also available. To book online visit www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/oliver/
Photos by Tom Arber
Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.
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