SUFFOLK THEATRE

A huge thank you to Graeme Johnston for this guest review of BSEODS‘s production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Oliver! Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Tuesday 17^th to Saturday 21^st October

’Oliver!’ is the show that everyone knows. The mixture of colourful characters with the most wonderfully, memorable show tunes set in the Dickensian era to produce the timeless classic that has been loved for generations since Lionel Bart first put pen to paper. Classics can rarely be tinkered with and The Bury St Edmunds Operatic And Dramatic Society (BSEODS) under the directorship of Debbie Marks, have honoured the original with a glorious rendition of this production.

BSEODS have the advantage of setting a period piece in such a stunning theatre as The Theatre Royal. It was originally built in 1819 and still feels of the period. The set was a simple design, with beautiful brickwork depicting a multi-purpose arch which doubled up as the Workhouse, Fagin’s Den, a lively pub and London Bridge. This effect was equalled with simple prop changes that were brought on and off the stage by the cast with effortless precision. The scene changes were as well choreographed as the dance routines ensuring the lively pace of the production never dipped.

Credit was also due to the lighting team of Kate Skylar and Tim Westerman. They rose to the challenge of maintaining a dark Dickensian atmosphere whilst making sure that the cast were well lit and easily seen. Adding to the ambiance throughout was the incidental music from the band under the guidance of Musical Director Nicholas Sheehan. They skilfully blending the quiet background music with the classic tunes performed with gusto.

‘Oliver!’, opens with the young cast performing ‘Food Glorious Food’. They were well drilled in the march to the gruel pot with outstanding expressions on their faces. The interplay between the young chorus and the adults on stage was particularly delightful to see. The opening number set the standard for the quality of singing for the remainder of the show. Given the quality on stage, it was easy to forget that the performers were not professional.

The title character of Oliver was beautifully played by Darcey Dutton (on the performance reviewed) who demonstrated such a lovely singing voice for one so young. Hector Duckworth-Smith’s Artful Dodger was played with the right amount of cheek for the role, a very confident performance. The adults were all perfectly cast in their roles. All were exceptional with noteworthy performances from Leanne Barber as Nancy, whose rendition of ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ made the spine tingle with the emotion in her voice. Chris Hempenstall as Fagin had beautifully observed mannerisms associated with the character and Phil Cockell made an affectionate nod to Ronnie Barker’s Arkwright in his portrayal of Mr Sowerberry the Undertaker. It was very evident that the entire cast enjoyed working together on stage and this was a joy to watch.

The choreography was a delight.  Act Two’s opening number, the rousing ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’, was especially spectacular and included a hint of the ‘Can Can’ for good measure! The step detail during ‘Consider Yourself’ was executed to perfection. Well done again to Debbie Marks who not only directed ‘Oliver!’ but also choreographed the musical.

As a finale, the audience were treated to a reprise of some of the best loved numbers which was met with rapturous applause and a well-deserved standing ovation. ‘Oliver!’ is a classic show, classically played by BSEODS in a classical setting. Many congratulations to all involved for an outstanding production.