Oliver!

According to Mr.Bumble, it’s the meat that does it.  Well, if he’s right, then the entire company must have been fed on it (though in a racing city such as York, I trust it wasn’t horse!).

The scene in the Three Cripples which opens Act 2 illustrated perfectly what I mean, with all the cast obviously throwing themselves into the action, although Fagin was understandably more concerned with contemplating the effects of Oliver’s apparent disappearance.  It’s not always easy to motivate a chorus to make so much of a crowd scene, especially immediately after the break, but this was not a problem here, partly because of the lead from an excellent Nancy (Alexa Chaplin) who commanded the stage from her first entrance.  In complete contrast the reprise of “Where is Love” in a choral version enabled us to appreciate the Society’s vocal strengths and throughout the production they were well supported by an excellent 14 strong orchestra. 

It was good to see so many boys in the opening scene in the workhouse and quite acceptable that some of the younger ones were replaced by girls in Fagin’s gang.  Dodger (Jack Armstrong when I attended) showed all the confidence and ebullience to be expected from the character and Gavin Shaw, making his debut with this Company, made a formidable Bill Sykes.  Costumes and wigs were superb and the scenery was effective, although I did miss the now out-of-favour type of cloth which can represent the grandeur of the London architecture in “Who will buy?” and the opulence of Mr. Brownlow’s house thereby providing such a contrast with other scenes.    

As ever with this Society, this was an excellent production which will have pleased their legions of regular supporters and doubtless prove another financial success.  

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