Oliver!

Looking through the list of the Society’s previous productions, I was surprised that “Oliver” had not already been staged by the Society. It was therefore a timely choice for the Society’s spring production. I attended on the Thursday evening of the run when Simon Fraser (aged 11) took the title role. He played and sang a confident Oliver in his first appearance with EROS and I am sure we’ll see more of him in the future. Ciaran Rodger was well cast as the Artful Dodger and Andrew Rodger excelled in the role of Fagin, his voice well suited to the lyrics of his musical numbers. Rodger Topping and Nanette Campbell took the parts of Mr Bumble and Widow Corney, both deserving of each other and the dark comedy roles of the Sowerberrys were well acted by Jeremy Davis and Frances McNeil. Andrew Tasker played the terrifying and thuggish Bill Sykes with Pamela Marshall as the gentle and ill-fated Nancy. Mike Driscoll played the kindly Mr Brownlow and Lindsay Stevenson the ineffective Dr Grimwig and all of the more minor principal cast were well chosen.
Scenes of particular interest were the Opening in the Workhouse Dining Hall, the Undertaker’s Parlour, the Thieves’ Kitchen (Act 1) and the Three Cripples Pub. Each was well thought out and and produced and where numbers of Urchins were involved, movement was well managed. An  orchestra of around twelve musicians produced an excellent and balanced sound which made the most of Lionel Bart’s score and the show provided a fine evening’s entertainment.

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