This timeless and well-loved musical story based on Charles Dickens' OLIVER TWIST was brought to the City Varieties by the acclaimed Potato Room Players. Full of familiar tunes - Food Glorious Food, As Long As He Needs Me, Consider Yourself and Oom Pah Pah - this was a huge treat.
REVIEW
Consider yourself well entertained! This could be a new line from one of the songs in this spectacular musical, which is being performed this week by the Potato Room Players at Leeds City Varieties.
The musical Oliver, adapted from Charles Dickens’s classic tale of Oliver Twist, has been running now for 46 years. Written by Lionel Bart, the youngest of seven children from a Jewish east-end family in London, his greatest success was this particular musical Oliver! It opened at the New Theatre (later to become the Albery Theatre) on 30th. June 1960 and received 23 curtain calls. It ran for 2618 performances in London and opened on Broadway in 1963 and ran there for 774 performances. The 1968 film version, directed by Carol Reed, won several Oscars, including Best Picture, and an Oscar for Ron Moody in the part of Fagin.
There were several notable performances in the show, but one person, in my opinion, stood out above the rest. This was David Kirk in the part of Fagin. If Ron Moody won an Oscar for this role in 1968, then 38 years later David should have the stage equivalent. His rendition of “Reviewing the situation” was excellent as were the chorus numbers he was involved in with the boys, namely “Pick a Pocket or Two” and “Be Back Soon”. But it was his acting as the Jewish fence dealing with items stolen by the boys, Nancy and Bill Sykes that made this show for me.
Also outstanding was Jeanette Blackburn in the role of Nancy whose rendition of “As long as he needs me” was superb as was her leading of the chorus numbers, “It’s a fine life” and “Oom-Pah-Pah”. She was well supported by Johnny Rookes as Bill Sykes and Brogan Hollindrake as young Bet. Johnny played the role of Bill Sykes extremely well. This is not the biggest part in the show, but it is the meanest without doubt! In this respect Johnny was outstanding. His dramatic fight scenes with Nancy towards the end were excellent.
Amongst the younger performers, I must mention in particular fourteen-year-old Joey Taylor as the Artful Dodger and nine-year-old Ethan Beckley in the title role of Oliver. . Joey has a natural stage presence and his antics as Dodger had the audience in stitches. He has a good singing voice and led “Consider Yourself” superbly. Ethan has a pure natural voice, which is very mature for someone so young. His renditions of “Where is Love” and “Who will buy” were a joy to listen to.
The chorus numbers brought out the full depth of talent of The Potato Room Players in my opinion. The group, and particularly the youngsters, most of whom were drawn from the Début Theatre School where David Kirk and Jacqui Drake-Sweiss, the show’s choreographer, are the Principals, performed superbly the numbers “Food Glorious Food”, “Consider Yourself” “It’s a fine life” and “Who Will Buy”.
Paul Rookes as Mr Bumble was excellent in the songs “Oliver”, and “Boy for Sale” and he brought humour to the show in the number “I shall scream” alongside Barbara Sumroy as Widow Corney, which had the audience rocking in their seats with laughter. I must also mention Simon Field as Mr Sowerberry the undertaker, Kay Vann as his wife, Raymond Williams as Mr Brownlow and Christine Castle as Mrs Bedwin all of whom played their roles extremely well. I particularly enjoyed the number “It’s your funeral” with Mr & Mrs Sowerberry and Mr Bumble.
So, once again this was a thoroughly entertaining show well up to the Potato Room Players’ usual high standard. It was brilliantly produced by Stuart Woolf, superbly choreographed by Jacqui Drake-Sweiss and with excellent musical direction by Jim Lunt who always ensures that the orchestra never drown the vocals of the soloists and chorus.
For their next production in May 2007, we move from the streets of Victorian London to the recording studios of Lovett, Texas, in the early 1960’s with the musical “Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story”. I look forward to this in anticipation.
John Burland
Dine Direct Theatre Reviewer
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