Oliver!

It was a pleasure to be invited to Clydebank Musical Society’s production of Oliver! The show opened with great energy from a fantastic chorus of twenty eight children well drilled in seeking food, and imagining just how good it would be if it was something special they were getting to eat.  The introduction of Oliver played by Euan Reid had us eating out of the palm of his hand from his initial introduction as a workhouse boy.  There was a strong cast of principals, a mix of people who were new to the world of amateur theatre performance, and others who were well seasoned at it.  However, everyone worked as hard as each other to ensure this show was well received by the audience.  The story was well told by all, and all the principals showed their own strengths in their individual performances.   

Roy McGregor, Director and Carolyn Anderson, Choreographer brought energy and enthusiasm to the stage.  Lucy Cusick (Nancy) displayed vocal ability and showed her vulnerable side opposite Bill Sykes who portrayed his role in the true sinister and violent way. Peter Latham gave a good performance of the role of Fagin, and I am sure he will now have caught the musical theatre bug.  Without listing all the principals by name, each and every one of them gave a committed and energetic performance adding to the overall success of the production.

Working in a hall can bring many challenges, and if there were any then these were not obvious to the audience. The main set was well designed and used creatively to form the different scenes, and the ability to fly cloths was an asset.  Making use of the space either side of the stage for a few of the smaller scenes added to the creative handling of the show.  I particularly liked the use of lighting and felt that a lot had been made of all the available facilities. 

The band was well balanced under the direction of Bethany Logan.  Carla Valentini, stage manager along with the assistant stage managers and crew ensured that the show ran smoothly from scene to scene.

Overall, this was an enjoyable production, where the entire company both on and off the stage worked well together. Well done to all involved in the show.

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