At first sight a text written nearly 200 years ago about the violence, neglect and abuse of children might seem out of date. Yet Charles Dickens’ depiction of Oliver Twist – published around 1838 in serialised form – still resonates with contemporary realities.
Dickens would certainly be seen as a prolific author even in today’s terms with ‘Oliver’ alone stretching to well over 500 pages in contemporary editions. But he also acted as both an advocate and campaigner for children’s welfare in the UK, Europe and the United States.
This performance of Oliver – in an angry but funny adaptation by Neil Bartlett – certainly got to the heart of a play about a 10-year-old orphan boy in the workhouse. Nevertheless, it did not aim to slavishly replicate the traditional script.
We start with a sign on stage left announcing: “For Sale. A boy. By order of the Parish, £5.” A sign on stage right announces: “Mudfog Workhouse”. The men with black hats and ties sell Oliver for £5, or perhaps £4, but no, he is eventually sold for £3 at this human auction.
In Dickens’ version, Oliver (played here by Lily Wilks) travelled by foot to London in order to escape the men. Sometimes he was walking nearly 20 miles a day with no money, no lodgings, no company. London turned out to be just as cruel: wretched, dark and greasy. It was hardly a pleasant day out at Butlins.
But in this production, the 15-strong cast combined to take on many familiar roles of this well-loved play including, for example, the Artful Dodger (Zarrina Danaeva), Mr Bumble (Susanne Crosby) and Fagin (Sam Nixon). Dickens also provided us with a complete and complex female character in Nancy (Flossie Noar) who is much more than just the scheming decorative tart.
Bearing in mind the full length of Dickens’ original script, it made sense to undertake some judicious edits to the play while not spoiling the overall movement of the drama.
Nettie Sheridan and Gary Cook jointly undertook the co-direction (including stage management and choreography), while Martin Oakley (light and sound) provided the crucial background work involved in this outdoor performance. The props on stage are in constant motion and the display of candles round the set towards the end provides a picturesque finale.
The Brighton Open Air Theatre continues to draw an appreciative and lively audience to this venue with a minimum of props. Nevertheless, the occasional shower or lash of wind never seems to deter the cast or the plucky outdoor audience.
Photos by Miles Davies
