I Want Some More! – Oliver! Review

As I’ve said in the past, I love the 1968 musical film adaptation of the Dickens novel Oliver Twist, with all its wonderful songs, characters, sets and costumes, all brought to life by a brilliant cast. It was based on Lionel Bart’s theatre show of course, of which there have been several productions since it launched in 1960, and while I have the soundtrack albums for some of them, I’ve never had a chance to see the musical live, until now.

That’s because I recently went to the Gielgud Theatre to see an audio described performance of the current production of Oliver! by Cameron Mackintosh, which launched last year. And on reviewing the situation (for this post that isn’t sponsored), I think it can consider itself well in, because it’s a fine life for those who will buy a ticket to see it.

Contents

• Touch Tour
• The Cast
• The Music
• Audio Description
• Conclusion

Touch Tour

We started with a touch tour, for which there were a huge number of people in attendance, showing just how popular this musical is. We didn’t get to go on stage unfortunately, instead being in a long and ornately decorated room upstairs in the rabbit warren of a theatre. But it was still a really useful and enjoyable experience, and despite how many of us there were I didn’t miss out on anything.

Some of the actors were there to introduce themselves and show us parts of their costumes, including Billy Byers as the Artful Dodger, and Bethan Keens in her West End debut role as Charlotte, which was very kind of them. We also got to handle Fagin’s coat and Nancy’s dress, two of the most iconic and beautifully made costumes in the production, along with one of the outfits worn by the children in the workhouse. And there were various props we got to look at, including silk handkerchiefs, a pearl necklace, the cudgel that Bill Sikes carries, a small pile of books that Oliver is given to deliver, a bowl and spoon from the workhouse and some genuine old pennies.

It was really cool to look at all that stuff, as it gave a very realistic sense of the characters being from the Victorian era, and their status within society at the time. That was then expanded on in the show of course, as all the sets, costumes, back projections and lighting evoked the period really effectively, while the characters’ accents and general way of speaking further grounded the story in London. The stage also had a central revolve, which enabled a smooth transition between scenes, and also helped to give the impression of movement over long distances.

The Cast

As for the characters, they were all perfectly cast. Raphael Korniets was wonderful as young Oliver, giving him real depth and feeling in what is a very challenging role, while Billy Byers was a lot of fun as the jolly, amiable and streetwise Artful Dodger. And indeed all of the child performers were incredible, clearly very much enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, amongst the adults, Shanay Holmes shone brightly as Nancy and had some very emotional moments, while Aaron Sidwell was suitably unsettling as the dark and menacing Bill Sikes.

But the star of the show is undoubtedly Simon Lipkin. He perfectly embodies Fagin, with as many layers to his personality as there are colours in his handkerchief collection, ranging from happy and humorous – even fleetingly breaching the fourth wall with amusing ad libs on a couple of occasions – to strict and firm when the situation calls for it, to moving moments of despair when all seems lost. He really makes you care about him and feel the same emotions that he does, because he puts real passion and energy into his acting and singing. And he has delightfully expressive body language too, with his hands becoming characters of their own at one point.

The late Ron Moody, while not the first to ever inhabit the role, will always be seen as the master when it comes to playing Fagin, having laid down a solid template and set a very high bar for the many stars who have followed in his footsteps, including people like Jonathan Pryce and Rowan Atkinson, and even Christopher Eccleston in the BBC’s spin-off Dodger series for children that I intend to check out for the sake of curiosity. It just somehow seems wrong not to acknowledge Ron in any discussion of this musical.

But Simon, making good use of his Jewish heritage like Ron did, is truly magnificent, making the character his own whilst retaining all of Fagin’s wit, charm and humanity that makes him so popular. He just nails it, as if he was born for the role. I do think Ron would have been proud if he’d been alive to see it.

The Music

As for the songs, they’re as magical as you’d hope for, with superb choreography and brilliant orchestration. The musicians weren’t very far below us in their pit, it seems, as those of us in the front few rows could see the conductor very clearly, as he practically had a front row seat of his own. He wasn’t distracting, however, it was just interesting to glance over at him occasionally.

I was also delighted to learn that there’s a soundtrack album for the show, with all the tracks recorded in front of a live audience last year. So I’ve downloaded that as a fun souvenir, and to add to my collection of soundtracks from previous productions. The accompanying booklet has a nice foreword by Cameron Mackintosh reflecting on how he’s been involved with the production since the 1960s, and how it’s evolved over the decades. This current version launched in Chichester in July 2024 before transferring to the West End last December.

Food, Glorious Food is a catchy opener of course, where you can hear the desperation in the children’s voices, alongside the bliss as they imagine decent cuisine. Then later Oliver hungers for even more in a powerful rendition of Where Is Love?, which would be a big number for an adult as it is, let alone a child, and it’s perfectly sung.

We’re then not far off from the most epic number of the show – Consider Yourself, led by the Artful Dodger. It’s incredibly catchy and full of so much joy that it’s no wonder they spin it out into a lengthy set piece, every second of which is worth it, and it’s naturally used for the finale as well. Similarly, the uplifting Who Will Buy? later on is also impressively choreographed given how many people are involved.

And the great songs just keep coming, with different characters taking the spotlight throughout the show. For example, Simon Lipkin as Fagin is marvellous at leading his gang in You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two and Be Back Soon. But his solo performance of Reviewing The Situation is absolutely superb, with a fabulous mix of anguish, humour and physicality that takes real talent to get right. Likewise, Shanay Holmes as Nancy also exhibits a broad emotional range, from the rousing Oom Pah Pah in the pub to her heartfelt solo rendition of As Long As He Needs Me that’s another big standout moment.

Audio Description

Finally, I was able to follow everything that was going on thanks to the audio description provided by Megan McKie-Smith and Claire Simpson from VocalEyes. Sometimes there was a lot happening on stage, for instance, so it was useful to know the important details of the action and choreography. Or when there were only one or two people performing, it helped to highlight their facial expressions and body movements to clarify their emotions and actions. I also found it vital in darker scenes where it was impossible for me to see what was happening, especially the dramatic night time confrontation at the end of the show, which I would never have been able to follow otherwise. So thank you to Megan and Claire for their excellent narration.

Conclusion

Oliver has been one of those bucket list musicals I’ve really wanted to see for a long time, being a big fan of the film and the other soundtracks that I already own. And this production hasn’t disappointed, it was everything I’d hoped for. The story, characters, songs and the overall atmosphere of the show really immerses you into the world of Victorian London, filling you with joy while also tugging at the heartstrings. And thanks to the touch tour and audio description, I was able to appreciate and enjoy it to the fullest extent possible, on a par with the rest of the audience, which would not otherwise have been possible. So it might just be my favourite musical that I’ve seen in London to date. Who wouldn’t want more?