Oliver

Thank you for the kind invitation to your production of the theatre classic “Oliver. 

This was an enjoyable staging of the well-known musical and the director had clearly worked together with the large cast to successfully bring it to stage in Hungerford. It was obvious that the cast were all really enjoying themselves and there were some very strong performances from the principals strongly supported by both the adult and children’s ensemble. Credit must go to the young girl playing Oliver gave an assured performance for such a young actor and held her own with the adult cast. The story was told throughout by an array of principal and minor principal characters and the cast had developed their individual characters to communicate the story effectively. 

It is not always easy to sing to a backing track, but the cast were making good use of the MD who was sat in front of the stage to assist them in coming in at the right time. The solos were sung with confidence and as in the big chorus numbers like ‘Oom Pah Pah’ everyone sang with great gusto. 

The entire cast were dressed from top to toe in Dickensian garments, bonnets, top hats, flat caps, canes and appropriate footwear and altogether costumes looked very effective. Dressing the Sowerby’s and funeral staff all in black was effective and Nancy’s and Bet’s vibrant red dresses were a lovely contrast to the drab colours and blacks of the other cast.

This show was clearly a labour of love for Director Hoffi Robinson and a fitting tribute to David Clayton a long-time director at the society who had first directed the show in 1991 at the start of his thirty years with the society. 

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