Oliver!

With its well-known music and story, Oliver! is always a strong option for any Musical Society, particularly one with an active youth section and this proved the case for PMS with their spring production.   A true ensemble piece, Oliver! provides lots of great character roles.  Marcus Burnside as Mr Bumble and Suzanne Booker as Widow Corney set the standard high from the start and were equally matched by the Sowerberry family in the shape of Stuart Cambridge, Maureen Simmonds and Danielle Long plus their employee Noah, the fast tongued and fist flinging Sam Lowe.  The gin-riddled Fagin was carefully crafted by Danny Dwyer, a believable and lovable rouge. A generous hearted Nancy was captured by Kelsi Hodgson, who showed maturity and strength of character in her rendition of “As long as he needs me” and the villainous Bill Sykes was wisely honed by Simon Wrench.  The senior chorus, seemingly a cast of thousands, which at times did make movement on stage a little difficult, nonetheless sang the chorus numbers well throughout.  Specific note should be given to the “Who Will Buy” ensemble who sang this complex number with ease and confidence. Coupled with strong support from Bett, Mrs Bedwin, Mr Brownlow & Old Sally and of course Cooper as Bullseye, the Senior members of the Society gave the juniors a shining example to follow, and they did not fail to follow the lead.  Toby Metcalf as a timid Oliver, really looked the part and coped well throughout; Alice Rose as the cheeky and confident Dodger brought exuberance and effortless charm to the role and Rosie Hodgson as Charley was also suitably mischievous.  The rest of the “boys” of Fagin’s gang were well rehearsed and well drilled in their moves.    The small band created a supportive and warm sound for the ensemble and principals alike.  The overall look of the show had been well conceived and executed through a simple yet effective open stage set simply using props to create the various locations as the action follows Oliver’s transition from Workhouse to Mr Brownlow’s, via Undertakers and Fagin’s Den. The costumes and props complimented the overall look and as always the scene changes were well managed by a confident stage crew.  Many congratulations to the whole PMS team for creating a most enjoyable production.  

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