This depiction of Dickens’ Oliver Twist is awash with brutality from the outset. In the opening scene, a mother and daughter are dragged into the workhouse kicking and screaming, while children are beaten soundlessly. As far removed as they can be from the cheeky, dancing urchins of the popular musical productions, although this interpretation is disturbing, the violence is never gratuitous.
Even Oliver himself is a little jaded - his angelic blonde hair nowhere to be seen in Gemma Sandzer’s poignant portrayal of the title role.
Rich in authenticity, this Oliver Twist brings to life the despair and deprivation emphasised in the original novel, with most of the characters falling into one of three categories - good, misguided or plain evil.
Just as he was in last year’s Christmas Carol, Mark Gillham again verges on being under-utilised, this time as the charismatic Dodger. Every scene he appears in, he artfully shifts all the focus on to himself as easily as he relieves unsuspecting individuals of their wallets. Also highly enjoyable as the seductive Nancy is the raspy-voiced Amy Merrutia, a forlorn mixture of goodness, hopelessness and regret. Her demise at the hands of the wicked Bill Sikes (a menacing Sam Nicholl), is as senseless as her unwavering commitment to him.
Led by the remarkable Edward Kingham as the sinister Fagin, this is a powerful, frequently disturbing show that should bring even more attention to the increasingly daring and impressive Giant Olive team.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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