PUBLIC REVIEW

For: Waterford Musical Society

Production: Oliver!

Venue: Theatre Royal

Date of attendance: 25 April 2023

Adjudicator: Tony McCleane-Fay

Waterford Musical Society presented a lovely production of Lionel Bart’s ‘Oliver!’

at the end of April this year at the quaint Theatre Royal in Waterford. Directed by
Andrew Holden with choreography by Ali Reville and musical direction by
Wayne Brown, this was a deliciously dark version of ‘Oliver!’ more in keeping
with the novel than the countless saccharine versions one is used to seeing. It
was thrillingly original with excellent performances all around.

Lionel Bart’s musical is based on Dicken’s ‘Oliver Twist’, a novel published in

serial form from 1837-39 about the trials and tribulations of an orphan boy
growing up in Victorian London. The musical premiered in 1960 and went on to
be adapted into a very successful film in 1968, directed by Carol Reid, which
won six Academy Awards.

Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, is sold as the apprentice to an

undertaker, whose daughter’s fella he beats up for insulting his late mother.
Oliver escapes and meets Dodger, a young pickpocket who lives with a group of
thieving children under the care of the charismatic Fagin, a fence for stolen
goods. When Oliver is captured for a theft that he did not commit, the victim, Mr.
Brownlow takes him in. Fearing for his livelihood if Oliver talks, Fagin employs
the malevolent Bill Sikes and his girlfriend Nancy to get him back, however
things don’t go according to plan; Sikes kills Nancy and is in turn shot by the
police and Oliver is returned to Brownlow, who through a series of ‘Dickensian’
coincidences, happens to be his grandfather. Fagin and the children flee
together most likely to another part of London to continue the lucrative business.

Most productions concentrate on the song and dance, and the songs are great,
and everybody knows them at this stage. But this production was different. The
songs and dance numbers were present and excellently done but director
Andrew Holden seemed to direct this show as a play with musical interludes
rather than a musical theatre piece, which was wonderfully refreshing and
ensured that the drama of the story took centre stage. It is a dark story, as are
most of Dicken’s works, populated by hideous characters with less than good
intentions. Bumble and the Sowerberry family were repugnant as were Corney
and Sikes. Fagin and Nancy were very much the hero and heroine of this
version, and both were wonderfully and empathically played.

The beginning of the show was quite compelling as we were introduced to a

series of repugnant self-serving characters who meant our hero harm. Ray
Collins played Mr Bumble, the workhouse overseer, with a wonderful Northern
English accent. Mr Collins gave us a corpulent, revolting Bumble. Less bumbling
and more salacious towards Corney, their bizarre courting scene was brilliantly
performed, full of suggestive sub-text and desire. The scheming Widow Corney
was given a true Dickensian interpretation by Avril Hartrey. Her voice was from
‘up North’ like Bumble, but she had a cunning edge and sharpness to it that
could cut glass. Her seduction scene with Bumble was great as was her singing
on “Oliver!” and “I Shall Scream”. When Oliver disobeyed them, he was sold on
to funeral directors Mr and Mrs Sowerberry. Played with creepy intensity by
Jonathan Kelly and Olga Greene, they sang “That’s Your Funeral” with excellent
timing and devious intent. Their slovenly daughter, Charlotte, was played with a
lazy petulance by Devlyn Lonergan who was more interested in coupling with
the other apprentice, Noah Claypole, here played with jack-the-lad cockiness by
Patrick Brennan. All of these characters were straight out of Dickens, they had
the narcissistic, egotistical cruel streak he wrote about so well. Lovely strong
performances.

Conor Lyons played Fagin and did something with his character I’d not seen in
the past. He performed him with a distinct vulnerability, quite fearful of Bill whom
he’d trained and scared of change and his little Kingdom being destroyed. He
was also quite kind towards the kids in the gang and one could see the affection
he had for them, particularly Charles Ware-Murphy’s Charley, who really
impressed. Mr Lyons singing on “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” was
excellent but he excelled on ”Reviewing the Situation”, where he commanded
the stage. His Fagin was quite camp and mannered, which really worked. He’d
taken in Nancy when she was a child and she remained faithful to him as an
adult. Played by Megan DeCourcey, who was full of energy and naughty fun on
“Oom-Pah-Pah” and superb on “It’s a Fine Life”. Her Nancy was a wonderfully
grounded character, with a soft heart and a firm sense of responsibility and her
interpretation of “As Long as he Needs Me” about boyfriend Bill was
heartrending, she lived the song not just sang it. Bill Sikes was played with
barely repressed violence by Kieran Walsh. Entering on “My Name”, where he
set out who he was and what he does, Mr Walsh sang with menace. His stage
presence was palpably strong, and he was particularly vicious with Nancy.
Nancy’s sister, Bet, was played by Emma Walsh who had a lovely energy
especially on “Oom-Pah-Pah”. She showed her devotion to Nancy and Fagin’s
gang and had a good characterisation and physicality.

Oliver was played by James Lyons Power, and he looked and acted differently
to the other urchins in the show. He had a gentle relaxed inquisitiveness and
stillness that seemed to indicate an inborn privilege. His singing on “Where is
Love?” was excellent as was his parts of “Who Will Buy?” He had a good
dynamic with Dodger and Nancy and an engaging wide-eyed fascination with
Fagin. He was befriended by the Artful Dodger, played by Alex Brophy with good
singing and dance skills. He had a good chemistry with Oliver and Nancy and an
excellent dynamic with Fagin. He led “Consider Yourself” with assurance and
convinced as the number two of Fagin’s gang.

Oliver was rescued from a life on the streets by Mr Brownlow, played by Paul
Corcoran in a genial and avuncular manner. Clearly upper-class, he was strong
with Bumble and Corney when they came sniffing around and gentle with Oliver.
Socially the opposite of Fagin, but one couldn’t help feeling that Oliver would
have had more fun with Fagin and his gang! His housekeeper, Mrs Bedwin, was
played with a nice maternalism by Karen Hearne, who sang the reprise of
“Where is Love?” sweetly and had a kind demeanour. The local doctor and
friend of Brownlow who looks over Oliver for signs of disease was Brian Hogan’s
Dr Grimwig. With his repeated “…I’ll eat my head.” Mr Hogan’s Grimwig was
dryly funny. He had a good chemistry with Mr Brownlow and a nice presence.

Ben Hennessey’s set design was perfect for the small stage in the Theatre
Royal, a series of wheeled reversable flats that showed different locations
including Fagin’s den, the Workhouse, the Sowerberry’s Funeral parlour and
even London Bridge. The stage was managed with skill by Paul Greene. Paul
Browne’s lighting was good, but the movers were often on when moving, which
gave a contemporary look to the show that didn’t work, and the follow spots
didn’t seem to have sights as they were often hastily moved from the set to the
performer. One Louder Sound Ltd designed the sound and it was good. Nice
balance between band and singer, especially on the underscore. Some good
weather sound effects too. Rita Loncke-Drohan and Nomac provided the
costumes which were of the period. Bumble’s costume was great as was the
Sowerberrys, but the children’s and Fagin’s costumes were excellent; dirty and
torn, with little accessories. Carol Knox’s make-up was perfect, particularly the
greasy filthy look on the children and Fagin. Mr Sowerberry’s make-up was great
too. Aidan O’Dwyer looked after the hair and wigs and they worked, especially
Fagin’s bald look with the straggly hair hanging down.
Wayne Brown conducted a nine-piece orchestra of brass, woodwind, piano,
bass, and percussion. They were superb and his interpretation of the score was
excellent. Mr Brown’s work with the chorus was also great, particularly the
children’s chorus. “Consider Yourself” was super with both adults and children
and “Oom-Pah-Pah” was a rousing tavern song led by Nancy and Bet. Ali
Reville did well to create anything big, given the small size of the stage but she
did. “Food, Glorious Food” was very cleverly moved with sub-groups of children
taking the front lines and working with and on the tables. It was similar with
“Oom-Pah-Pah”, where the tables added another dancing surface.

This was a wonderfully authentic production with the emphasis on

characterisation and character relationships and each performer was bursting
with a fine internal energy and tension. Choreography and musical direction
were good, and it looked suitable grotty but it was Mr Holden’s direction that
ensured that this musical was not just entertaining but steeped in authenticity.

Tony McCleane-Fay
April 2023