OLIVER! To 11 September.

Perth

OLIVER!
by Lionel Bart

Perth Theatre To 11 September 2004
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 2.30pm
Audio-described 2 September, 4 September 2.30pm
BSL Signed 4 September 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 30min One interval

TICKETS: 01738 621031
www.perththeatre.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 21 August

Whether or not they want more, audiences certainly leave satisfied with what's being dished up in Perth.After a serene quarter-century under the late Joan Knight's popular direction, Perth Theatre's had a less settled decade. This has included some adventurous moments, but in a troubled time for arts funding in Scotland it has eventually brought the Theatre to a position where its future mounting its own productions has been in doubt.

Ken Alexander, who made a success of the re-opened Byre Theatre in St Andrews (a university town some 25 miles along the Tay, but considerably smaller than Perth) has been drafted in for a year to see if the future could work for Perth Theatre.

Already, Alexander's season has helped confirm there's a future for the Theatre. His plans include unfamiliar titles, introducing a strong Scottish element v including a novel adaptation and a new Liz Lochhead play, both offering familiarity and a comfort factor. Before launching into those, he's cannily planned an Ayckbourn comedy-thriller (two traditional genres
in one), and first Lionel Bart's much-loved Dickens musical.

Oliver! is, of course, considerably softened from Dickens; by modern standards it's quite cosy. People consider themselves at home with a piece that offers such tunes, glorious tunes whenever an audience needs them. And if Fagin gets away with it, well, who north of Hadrian's Wall would object to that when he's embodied by Scottish theatre's favourite actor, Jimmy Chisholm?

It can't do the box office any harm either to have a sizeable cast of young people filling the stage in the opening production.

There are a few uncertain moments in the opening minutes. The story's pre-history is confused. It's played out behind a gauze and is underlit - just when many audience members are still settling in. Then, too, the opening chorus number, "Food, Glorious Food" is underpowered and looks as if Nigel Hook's set has created runways and a sense of a crowded London at the expense of sufficient space for large-scale numbers.

But matters soon improve, and by the big production number, "Consider Yourself at Home", the only regret is that there's no credit for the fine choreography (Christopher Stewart among the notable dancers). Presumably, given "Associate Director" Rita Henderson's choreographic history, that's where praise should lie.

There's a clear distinction between the dirt of London and the grotesques that live among it (such as Philip Cox's lugubrious undertaker Sowerberry, Lesley Mackie giving his wife an hysterical edge that, alas, has no space to develop) and the clean, orderly life of Oliver's saviour. Michael Mackenzie is all straight-backed kindliness, his housekeeper (Mackie again, in contrasting manner) the only reliable servant in the action. The only discordant element there is the comically incompetent doctor, who might have been penned by theatre's arch mediphobe, Moliere.

Hook backs Sowerby's home with a light-coloured curtain, making an area of peace and security for Oliver. The Cries of London which are first seen in shaow through this, form an idyllic interlude in the capital's criminal pulse.

With his silent black mastiff Bullseye, Martin Fisher's Sikes is an imposing villain, a mean-minded muscle-man who brings an air of menace even to Fagin's place. Where Chisholm reserves the Jewishness for the character's voice, keeping a sly secretiveness mixed in with his syrupy fawning.

There's good singing, though Jean McGlynn's crescendo from whisps of smoke to full-burning torch in "As Long As He Needs Me" doesn't need such a big climax twice over - especially as the first time belting out the tune came perilously close to shouting in the final moments.

It's fascinating to see a London where St Paul's is apparently next door to Bloomsbury. But nothing else is seriously misplaced, and there's a lot to keep people happy in this fast-paced, colourfully detailed revival.

Oliver's Mother/Nancy: Jean McGlynn
Old Sally/Mrs Sowerberry/Mrs Bedwin: Lesley Mackie
Mr Bumble: Halcro Johnston
Oliver: Michael McGillivray/Ruaridh Rafferty/Olliver Wale
Widow Corney: Janet de Vigne
Chairman of Governors/Mr Brownlow: Michael Mackenzie
Large Governor/Knife Grinder/Lamplighter: James Dinsmore
Governor/Mr Sowerberry/Dr Grimwig/Man at London Bridge: Philip Cox
Governor/Bill Sikes: Martin Fisher
Governor/Chairman of the Three Cripples/Hussar: David Stothard
Matron/Rose Seller/Woman at London Bridge: Fiona Steele
Pauper's Assistant/Noah Claypole/1st Bow Street Runner: Christopher Stewart
Pauper's Assistant/Charley Bates/2nd Bow Street Runner: Callum Drysdale/Jake McGarry
Serving Maid/Bet/Milkmaid: Gail Watson
Serving Maid/Charlotte/Strawberry Seller/Hussar's Girl: Shelley Otway
Artful Dodger: James Beck/Ruari Canon
Fagin: Jimmy Chisholm
Bullseye: Jess/Mac/Max
The Workhouse Gang/Fagin's Gang:
Ben Ainslie, Loni Anderson, Hayden Baird, Oliver Beetschen, Liam Brookes, Hugh Custodio, Euan Dickson, Oliver Donald, Christopher Donaldson, Callum Dow, Dylan Foreman, Craig Forsyth, Nicholas Glebocki, Lewis Hartley, Ross Hartley, Robert Henson, Christopheer Honeyman, Sam Hutton, Mark Jackson, Liam Kirkpatrick, Alexander Leitch, Ryan Lochrane, Xander McDade, Lorne MacNaughton, Stuart Magill, Stuart May, Callum McFarlane, Aaron Muteithia, Robbie Oliver, Connor Ovenstone, Thomas Parsliffe, Gavin Peebles, David Sands, Charlie Stewart, Sean Taylor, Glenn Thomas, Christopher Warden, Michael Young

Director: Ken Alexander
Designer: Nigel Hook
Lighting: Simon Sewell
Sound: Geoff Minto
Musical Director/ Arrangements: Jon Beales
Associate Director: Rita Henderson
Voice and Dialect coach: Alex Gillon

2004-08-22 12:40:03