Review: Oliver! By BOS Musical Theatre Company at Southport Little Theatre
BOS Musical Theatre Company are celebrating their 65th anniversary this week by staging one of the greatest musicals of all time – Oliver!
It’s based on the book by Charles Dickens. The music is by Lionel Bart. The production is by special arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh. Talk about aiming high.
The BOS Society has been staging shows from 1959 to 2024, so taking on big challenges is nothing new to them.
Staging Oliver has great risks and big rewards with some huge characters in the show, some of the best known songs in the world of musicals, and some dramatic scenes.
Lionel Bart’s Oliver brings Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist novel from, 1838 to life on stage, with a timeless classic that has enjoyed record-breaking runs in the West End and on Broadway, plus an iconic movie.
It’s full of iconic songs: Food, Glorious Food; Consider Yourself; Reviewing the Situation; and others.
It follows the life of the young orphaned Oliver Twist from his cruel life under Mr Bumble and widow Corney in an orphanage; being sold to an undertaker; running away for a life on the streets; being taken in the the Artful Dodger, a gang of young pickpockets and gang leader Fagin; and ultimately finding the happy ending he deserves, but only through the sacrifice of the kind Nancy and narrowly escaping the clutches of the murderous Bill Sikes.
I saw the show on Tuesday, and it was great to see a near sell-out crowd inside Southport Little Theatre.
The Little Theatre is a real Southport gem and we’re lucky to have so much live theatre to enjoy in Southport.
This is a very talented cast, both among the children and the adults – and even a dog, as ‘William’ plays ‘Bullseye’ with an impeccable likeness. I do worry about him getting typecast (I can’t see him playing Lassie any time soon).
There are big performances across the board, with some great numbers from a wide cast, to solos where the actors have to hold the stage.
The two young lead performers, James Snape (Oliver) and Alfie Christian (Artful Dodger) are simply outstanding. Full of character, Musically talented. Brave. Engaging.
There are some superb adult performances too, Evie Twist (Nancy) showing a real wow factor to the production, Carl Sedman bringing bags of personality to Fagin, Oliver Ridgway (Bill Sikes) attracting the boos as one of musical theatre’s greatest villains.
There are some excellent double acts; Kev Ruane and Joanne Dorrity as Mr Bumble and Widow Corney, Oliver and the Artful Dodger, Dom Johnson and Aynsley Littler as Mr and Mrs Sowerberry, and more.
The cast has been working hard on this show for the past four months and the chemistry between them shone through.
There are some excellent big numbers involving the whole Child Ensemble and Adult Ensemble, with lots of enthusiasm, great singing, performing and dancing. It looked like a fin show to be a part of.
As ever, what the cast achieve on stage is underpinned by an exceptional backstage team, including the musicians led by Orchestra Director Andrew Standeven and Musial Director Thomas Corcoran, Nick Lloyd as Director, James Shaw as Choreographer, and others.
There are more shows to come.
Oliver! by BOS Musical Theatre Company continues at Southport Little Theatre to 5th October 2024.
The show will leave you wanting ‘more’ (just don’t ask Mr Bumble…)
Instead. tickets are available online at https://bosmtc.co.uk/tickets/
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