5/5 stars

Leeds Grand Theatre

Until December 8

 

You don’t have to be a literature student to have heard of Oliver Twist, and the musical based on the Dickensian classic is just as renowned. The production of this catchy musical, set for a five-week stint at the Leeds Grand, is amazing in all areas. The acting is superb, the sets are astounding, the scene changes are slick and the atmosphere is jubilant.

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, the story of little Oliver Twist is a tale of a young workhouse boy who dared to ask, ”Please sir, can I have some more?” This outburst sets into motion an adventure around London-town for our eponymous hero. Oliver is sold to a funeral parlour, befriended by thieves and arrested in quick succession. The fast past plot is punctuated by some of the best known melodies in the musical world; ‘Food, Glorious Food’, ‘Where is Love?’, ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two’ and ‘I’d Do Anything’ to name just a few. There is no way of avoiding the inevitable fact that following the show, you will no doubt find yourself singing the joyous melodies for several days.

the production felt like a spectacular puzzle-box being slowly worked open

Although there were lots of children in the audience, Oliver! is not a children’s musical. Not only are there several violent scenes, but the entire production is laced with subtle double-entendre; “Oh you’re a hard man Mr. Bumble!” In fact, the show has more swelling bosoms than ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Oliver! is not sickly-sweet either. Characters such as Fagan, the master of the child-thieves, provide both a subtle menacing edge and comedic relief. Neil Morrissey’s portrayal of him is magnificent and he is barely recognisable under the stringy hair and ragged clothing.

Equally good is the menacing Bill Sikes (Iain Fletcher), who utters few words that are no more than a growl but has an amazingly terrifying stage presence nevertheless. To counter this, Nancy provides both a warm maternal aura as well as a gutsy, heroic one. Samantha Barks may not have won Lloyd Webber’s ‘I’d Do Anything’ but she is certainly one of the shining stars of this performance. Her rendition of ‘As Long as He Needs Me’ brought the house down.

The young cast is more than able to achieve the standard of the highly experienced and talented adult cast. Sebastian Croft (Oliver) sings with a clear and powerful voice. He and Daniel Huttlestone (the Artful Dodger) make a wonderful pair, with amazing dancing from Huttlestone.

The sets provide a beautiful backdrop to the talent; the streets of Victorian London are reproduced in scenes that appear real but are revelled in theatricality. With no blackouts, the audience is smoothly taken from one scene to another. The whole production felt like a spectacular puzzle-box being slowly worked open.

So whether you’re a life-long fan of ‘Oliver’ or you want to get the West End experience right here in Leeds, this practically flawless production is a must see.

 

Georgina Norton