Oliver! is one of those classic musicals that has woven itself into the fabric of British culture, and far more people will be familiar with the show than with Charles Dickens’ original novel. So it’s impossible to go to a production of Lionel Bart’s classic show without having certain expectations… and worrying that they might not be met.
Brighton Theatre Group has met those expectations in spades – complete with a real live Bullseye the dog! This is a slick, well-oiled show with a fresh eagerness to tell an entertaining story. Where this show truly excels is in the big numbers, with the stage filled with performers expertly choreographed through crowd scenes and breakout dance tunes. The dancing, which includes high jetés and cartwheels, is a treat for the eyes. Combine that with well known songs accompanied by a live orchestra filling the whole place with cheer, and it’s a feast for the senses. They have created the most fabulous shapes everywhere you look, using height, props, contemporary and old musical styles of dance, and the lighting through haze creates shapes and colours on the whole stage, which is exquisite.
‘Consider Yourself’ is gloriously done, and ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’ is another of the standout numbers with masses of choreographed characters, and everyone joining in with the gusty singing led by Lucia Romero Clark as Nancy. Her solo ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ is powerful and rich and filled with such complex layers of emotion: bitterness, anger, vulnerability. It is exposing and very raw, and with the halo of pink light resting on her shoulders it’s truly beautiful. Her whole performance is glorious, as is Elias Prosser’s turn as Dodger: the cheeky, edge-of-teen, loveable rogue to be. He has impressively high heel-click jumps, all while singing. Christian Ridley holds the stage completely alone in a follow spot so sweetly as Oliver in ‘Where Is Love?’ and shows some lovely vulnerability. Among other fine performances is Hannah Garred, hilarious as the chin-first Widow Corney, with a great added detail of putting gin behind her ears in order to be alluring.
It is Jake Beniston’s performance as Fagin which makes this show something truly special. Not content to copy, he has made this role his own by adding a little flavour of Jack Sparrow from the Pirates franchise, and the show is richer for it. His wheedling gait, wide-eyed feigned innocence, getting wrapped up in the music and even ad libbing with the audience all add such richness and welcome surprise, and less like the stereotyped trope we all are used to. His performance of ‘Reviewing The Situation’ is particularly brilliant, maximising the space and showing real inner conflict in a hilarious way.
There is something very brave about putting on such a well-known and well-loved musical: Brighton Theatre Group thankfully not only have the confidence to pull this off but the skills and talent in everyone involved. A joyful, uplifting piece of theatre.
Theatre Royal Brighton, Wednesday 14th February 2024
Photos by Miles Davies Photography
