A Review of Oliver! at the Leeds Playhouse

Taking my firstborn, Oliver, 13, to see the vivid reimagining of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! at the Leeds Playhouse last week was the perfect antidote to the cycle of Reality TV I found myself slumped in over Christmas (there’s a time and place for Reality TV but too much is well, too much). Plus, a theatre trip with my eldest provided me with a chance to bond with my teen in a rare outing, just the two of us.

Well read and excellent at English, almost 14 year old Oliver found this Leeds-based adaptation of Dicken’s classic, utterly riveting and agreed that it rivalled anything we’d seen on the West End stage. Incidentally, it has been 12 years since Oliver! was on in the capital so perhaps this production might well transfer there. It deserves to.

Delighting my inner child with nostalgic favourites from the film I played repeatedly aged 10 such as, ‘Food, Glorious Food’, ‘Oliver!’, ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’, ‘Where is the Love?’ and ‘Who Will Buy?’ warmed my heart, made me laugh, and even moved me to tears respectively.

Witnessing the sheer talent of the child cast (impressively chosen through an open casting call) reminded me of my own childhood dream of becoming an actor. Any day now. Ha!

You cannot help but become immersed in Oliver’s world thanks to Colin Richmond’s cinematic set design and theatre-in-the round half moon stage structure composed of sweeping steps leading to a towering bridge, effortlessly throwing you deep within Victorian Britain-and Chris Bennett’s Bill Sykes off!

Stand out moments include the touching mother and son style bond between 9 year old Carter-J Murphy and the inimitable Jenny Fitzpatrick as Nancy.

One of three Olivers, impressively and quite unbelievably this production marks 9 year old Carter’s theatrical debut. Wowed is an understatement.

Steve Furst as Fagan with his big hearted characterisation and stirring violin solos equally floored us as did the magical singing and dancing of the young company of child performers and adult ensemble making this a memorable production come core memory for both my son and I.

Big laughs and light relief came from Mr Bumble (Minal Patel) and Widow Corney (Rosie Ede) before heartfelt ugly tears at the finale leading to a crescendo of claps echoing throughout the Quarry and Oliver and I rising to our feet in a standing ovation for the two and a half hours of enchanting theatre.

Magical.

Oliver! is on until Jan 27 so be quick. Do not miss it.

Photograph credit: Alistair Muir.

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