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Iris Laverne as the Artful Dodger with her class of Fagin’s pocket pickin' pupils. Pictures: Graeme Braidwood Oliver Twist Derby Theatre **** Christmas? Bah humbug! What's this? A Christmas Oliver! This is not the musical, instead a grimy, but warmly seasonal adaptation by Deborah McAndrew, directed by Sarah Brigham, of Dickens’ classic tale incorporating traditional tunes and original songs, played and performed onstage by the cast. Eliza Waters realises it all as Music Director. Brigham gender reassigns some key parts, most notably those of Fagin, the Artful Dodger, and for some performances, with Oliver. It is not familiar, traditional Christmas fare- and all the better for that. McAndrew first came to my attention, and I suspect, that of many others, via her sparkling characterisation of Angie Freeman in Coronation Street in the 1990s. Subsequently her greater playwriting talents have been manifested by a series of successful original and adapted stage productions; Hard Times, A Christmas Carol and the Great Gatsby amongst them. Oliver, born and orphaned on Christmas Eve, sets out to find his family in time for Christmas in Victorian London, located mainly in the backstreets of the East End , not Belgravia.
Neil Irish’s set is imposing , impressive and flexible. A trapdoor leads us into the hidden world of Fagin's den, a wonderful detailed street scene transports us from the backstreets to upmarket Pentonville. Tim Heywood’s costuming is a visual delight incorporating Mr Bumbles' bold uniform, plenty of swishing skirts, and a suitably dark menacing ensemble for Bill Sikes complete with black hat. And yes, I did notice that Heywood took the trouble to ensure that the large cast were wearing the appropriate footwear. Arnim Friess imaginatively alternates the lighting from dingy backstreets to bright lights. If there is an artificial candle shortage in Derby it is because he bought the entire stock. The opening carol, In The Bleak Midwinter, incorporated into a festive mash-up, sets a sombre tone. Polly Lister, reinvents the role of Fagin, a tragic figure doomed and damned. Clever - but not clever enough to dodge her fate. She is magnificent in the role, her final scene as a condemned man is harrowing and moving.
Bill Sikes played by Dan McGarry and Analiese Emerson Guettinger as Nancy Iris Laverne also pleasingly reinvents the Artful Dodger, as a cheeky ladette. But traditionalists should not be worried. Analiese Emerson Guettinger is a classically comely Nancy in love with bad boy who relishes, and excels, in his brutish role. Michael Mahony offers a sinister edge to the bumptious Mr Bumble. This production runs for the entire festive period necessitating a large child ensemble cast who performed energetically and with vim and brio on the night. Claudia Burton, Eliza Jean Poxon and William Poyser Alton take the roles of Oliver over the run. Deb Pugh as movement director has the unenviable job of harnessing all that youthful energy- which she succeeds in doing. Ian Stapleton as fight director memorably makes Sykes' violence more harrowing as distanced non-contact scenes. Most impressively, Anita Gilbert ensures authentic London accents as voice and accent coach. Although the happy ending for Oliver saves the day, the grime, poverty , crime and violence of the time are never far away and looms omnipresent. Age guidance is for the over eights. McAndrew’s script is the story of a child’s resilience and the triumph of the human spirit as he navigates his place and role in a harsh, often hostile, world. It also begs the question how far removed today’s child poverty is from that of the 19th century? Wily McAndrew and Brigham contrive a suitably festive finale for a show which was warmly applauded on a cold Friday night by a full house. Fagin picks a pocket or two until 3rd January Gary Longden 05-12-25 |
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