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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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A tale with a Twist
Partners in crime:
Kiara-Peaches Mackay
as
Nancy Oliver Twist Hall Green Little Theatre Youth Theatre **** OLIVER Twist was the second novel by
Charles Dickens and with 11 feature films, including the classic 1948
version by David Lean, three TV mini-series and a smash hit musical it
has to be one of the best known That can be a blessing – the audience know the story – and a curse – again, the audience know the story. This schools' adaptation by Guy Williams is true
to most of the story although it is a bit hazy about Oliver's
relationship to Mr Brownlow and what happens to our diminutive hero
after being saved from a life of crime, electing to end instead with the
hanging of Fagin . . . my dear.. Daniel Robert Beaton as Bill Sykes was the
stand-out performer full of menace and confidence and a creditable East
End accent as the psychopathic robber whose hobby was GBH. He has
appeared with the main Hall Green company and the experience shows. He also has the advantage of look and sounding
like an adult. It is always difficult in youth theatre to take on adult
parts, much more so for boys than girls, Girls and women are not too
dissimilar in looks and voice but men and boys? Until voices break boys
will be boys, no matter who they are portraying and how much make up is
applied. Daniel has a natural deep voice and could happily transport his
Psycho Sykes to an adult production. Laura Coxson gives us an excellent Mrs Corney and
soon to be Mrs Bumble, a real nasty streak there while Anna Garrett
gives us a flaky Mrs Sowerberry, wife of the undertaker to whom Oliver
is apprenticed, who suffers a convincing – and very loud – attack of the
vapours at the least hint of trouble, along with their maidservant
Charlotte, played by Iona Taylor.
Kiara-Peaches Mackay
as
Nancy Kiara-Peaches Mackay has her moments as Bill's
girl – I hesitate to add friend to that – Nancy, who spends much of her
time being beaten by Mr Sykes who has a limited form of argument. She
suffers well and dies even better. Anna Garrett pops up again as Monks, Oliver's
half-brother, and although she keeps the two roles nicely separate girls
as men is always difficult. Among the men, men Elijah Douglas –Smith showed
some promise as the other undertaker's apprentice Noah while James Kay
grovelled along as Fagin aided by the slightly snivelling Artful Dodger,
Ross Shaw. Oscar Davies as Mr Brownlow, complete with
handlebar moustache, gave a studied performance as the man who was the
best friend of Oliver's late father and was now his benefactor while
Ryan Luton gave us no-nonsense Bumble. As for Oliver - this production has two; Aron
Burke is the grown up Oliver acting as narrator and filling in detail
between scenes while Will Garrett is young Oliver, the orphan who
escapes the workhouse to end up in Fagin's den of thieves. The production itself was a little bit of a
curate's egg. Too much dialogue was lost by unclear speech and at times
too much shouting and expressions of anger, fear or whatever while some
of the scene changes took far too long, losing the flow, particularly
when a long scene change seemed to result in just the repositioning of
three mobile panels. Director Roy Palmer's set design was interesting
though, particularly the creation of Fagin's den from four panels, and
with slicker changes it would have worked well, but no doubt speed with
improve with live practice. Costumes, from a team of six, were excellent and
all in all it was an enjoyable show for Dickens' bicentenary year with a
huge cast, giving plenty of youngsters a chance to tread the boards, and
they did it with bags of enthusiasm holding out the promise of a new
generation coming through. Roger Clarke |
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