Oliver! has a long and rich history since its West End debut in 1960. It had success on Broadway, many touring productions and, of course, the famous, Oscar-winning 1968 film. So, it holds a place as one of the most popular musicals of the last century. The latest production to come to Blackpool is produced by Ensemble Theatre Company, a new player on the scene who bill themselves as a “supportive platform for the Musical Theatre community.”
I also enjoyed that the show embraced a style of heightened realism, which seemed not only very Dickensian but led to some very funny moments. The Sowerberys, a Victorian undertaker and his wife, had a sort of performative, exaggerated grimness that tied into that era’s obsession with mourning as a public performance, while their styling reminded me of something out of a Tim Burton film. Kudos must go to the costuming department for the distinctive and wonderfully ridiculous look of these two characters. Plus both performers committed to their maudlin dynamic, bouncing off each other well and making their number It’s Your Funeral an unexpected highlight.
One small thing I would critique is that the actors playing Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney kept reappearing in crowd numbers, sometimes clearly still in character and other times not. Since the producers went to the effort of keeping the Sowerberys offstage after their number and added costume changes for Bill Sikes and even the members of the ensemble while portraying the more upper-crust characters of Who Will Buy, this seemed an odd decision and made Bumble and Corney’s narrative pursuit of the title character muddied and less satisfying.
Nancy was also a big highlight from the cast, balancing the bawdy and rebellious spirit of a street-walking wench, with tender care for Oliver and the vulnerability of the abused girlfriend of suitably terrifying villain Bill Sikes. Sikes, it should be noted, came across as a stalking menace always on the verge of violence, a man whose intimidation comes not from physical size but from a reputation for bloody retribution.
Overall, the show is a treat for families, with some lovely ensemble work, choreography and some new and interesting takes on some favourite classic characters.
Oliver! runs at Blackpool Grand Theatre until Saturday 15 September. For more information or to book tickets visit blackpoolgrand.co.uk or call 01253 290190.
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