Oliver!

A gloomy ambiance awaited us as we made our way into the auditorium for BCMCS’s production of the classic bums on seats guilty pleasure Dickensian musical, ‘Oliver!’ – done away was the traditional house tabs, instead we were greeted with a sullen pre-set stage decked with gloomy brick arches, Victorian street lamps and a large steaming pot of gruel in position for the workhouse children’s opening mantra.

Considering itself to be one of the most frequently staged titles in the country it still doesn’t make it any easier to present a seamless production of this iconic favourite, there were certainly some moments and ideas within this presentation which aided it to ignite, giving the sense of a revamped revival as opposed to the same old concept being churned out again and again, it’s certainly quite a commendable achievement to make this reviewer sit back and pay attention to a title I’ve probably seen more than any other.

I must congratulate the entire society for what was one of the most technically seamless opening night performances I’ve ever seen an amateur company present - their was not one missed mic que, the balancing of the orchestra sounded superb and the LX operative was smooth and appeared to switch states on cue, without any hint of a hitch. Usually I’d make allowances and almost expect the occasional technical hiccup on an opening night but there was nothing to suggest that we were watching a debut performance so absolute kudos to the team here.

David Wilson’s orchestra were on fine form throughout, the score was delivered exceptionally well indeed, I do enjoy being able to see the orchestra which was somewhat refreshing given the current fashion is to have them out of sight. The entire score was gorgeously presented by the able throng of musicians, but a special mention must go to the violinist who excelled during ‘Reviewing The Situation’. It did seem that some of them took for granted that they were in full view as – despite the glorious sound they emitted – they did have the occasional tendency to noticeably fidget and unsubtly switch positions (percussion) which, if that’s what they need to do then they must, however, being a little more discreet would have been more respectful to those on stage and to the audience.

Director, Andrea Parle, had crafted a sturdy rendition ensuring each of these distinguished and celebrated characters were peppered with interest, I sensed she enjoyed and spent more time with the supporting roles such as Bumble, Corney and the Sowerberry’s et all as many of the cameo roles left a more fervent impression above some of the front runners. Players occasionally fell into the trap of delivering everything out front as though they’re speaking directly to the audience rather than to their fellow actor which did feel a little old hat but this could’ve been a wholly deliberate nod to melodrama, which, if so, it needed to be made more of though I’d personally rather an understated delivery as opposed to something that feels parody.         

The role of choreographer was tackled by Matthew Gavin who ensured the adults were secure and drilled with their movement, however, some of the youth cast did need to check they were correct with their neighbour which I appreciate could be a result of nervous reassurance though it does give the impression - from an audience perspective - of not being 100% confident with the routine. Oliver! is one of those shows where the steps become predictable with many signature movements on loop (the grab your braces or skirt for a stompy pas de valse - probably the most common go to step in any cockney musical) it’s not an easy task to give us the feeling of something fresh in this department.  However, I would’ve enjoyed a more innovative variation of pattern formations where possible and a little more vigour and oomph from the dancing ensemble but all in all, despite being a tad safe, we got the essence of rousing merriment where we needed to and the appropriate style for this show had been realised.  

This is the first time I’ve seen an Olivia Twist, not that that should necessarily matter, Kallia McKee was convincingly laddish for the most part but act two was interrupted with considerably more feminine gestures, running skips and general girly physicality - I’m all for individuality when it comes to gender identity and choice but, sadly, the Victorians were not. Kallia gave an impressive rendition of ‘Where Is Love’, my favourite part of the entire evening for all the right reasons, we latched on to his journey and she gave a considerable degree of substance to a part that’s often a two dimensional portrayal which is deserving of high praise indeed. Archie Haworth had the cheeky and charismatic qualities of Jack Dawkins / The Artful Dodger and proffered the appropriate chuckles where needed, I sensed nerves got the better of him especially when singing but once each of his songs were underway he relaxed to allow the character and charm to radiate and it was magic when he did.  

Steve McGillivray did all that the script asks of him as Fagin, I presume that his performance would’ve built through the course of the week to include more layers and proffer a believable thought process to accompany his delivery as at times I suspected he was still finding his stride. The vocal performance of Mr Bumble – played with command by John Matthias – was his shining moment, however his comedic knack comes as a close parr to his booming and opulent voice which was altogether enjoyable. Peter Haslam’s Mr Sowerberry left a memorable impression thanks to a quirky well thought character that we, sadly, only see for a short stint.

It’s always confused me why so many young women have Nancy so high up on their bucket list of parts to play – she’s only in a handful of scenes and has a repetitive and somewhat monotonous song.  However, Louise Davenport offered a raw and gutsy interpretation and, although it’s my least favourite song in the show, she vocally made a damn good job of it. What made this performance appear raw also offered its hinderances, I wanted her to remain still during ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ as the adrift wandering and weaving between tables reduced the focus of the moment and when eventually stood still needed to ground herself as she had a tendency to shift her weight from foot to foot causing her to sway which posed as an unfortunate distraction. Louise’s acting was attacked with gusto as she proffered a sweeter and more charming Nancy than I’m used to which made us unsure if she’d be capable enough to stand her own ground when it came to it, making us all the more astonished when she eventually stands up to what she believes is right, it worked a treat!

The costumes all appeared to be appropriate to the time but could’ve afforded to be a little grubbier where necessary, including faces too. Each attire handsomely donned each member of the cast whether back row of chorus or in the limelight, the only major shortcomings noticed in this department is how such effort had been made to portray authentic Victorian garb to then allow such modern accessories (specs) which, although stood out, they’re far more pardonable than jazz dance shoes on so many cast members who really ought to have had battered boots or harder wearing shoes to complete the image.

It’s often worthwhile to remind readers of reviews that every production comes with its gripes be it a professional or amateur production. Unfortunately, it’s the duty of the reviewer to dissect and lay out at least some defects no matter how minor they may seem to be. Pinpointing the shortcomings as well as the virtues is the obligation of adjudication and burden of elimination. Faults can be found in anything if examined hard enough, regrettably (for an adjudicator) they’re to be dug out and weighed up. But overall, regardless of the occasional bleat pinpointed above, as a long-standing fan of this show I always love to see productions of it that dig a bit further beneath the surface which does offer a breath of fresh air.  BCMCS certainly give “MORE” to it than many other renditions I’ve seen in recent years.       

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