"OLIVER"

SSAOS Junior 1997 production

• Music, Book and Lyrics by Lionel Bart
  

• SSAOS Junior Production at The Customs House, South Shields 8th - 12th April 1997

The plot, based on Dickens' second novel "OLIVER TWIST" is a straightforward tale of a young boy, born in poverty, seduced by the illusory glamour of the criminal underworld, rescued by the forces of goodness who eventually succeeds to his inheritance. Underlying this is an exposure of the infamous Poor Law and the workhouse system in Victorian England.

This interpretation of Dickens by Lionel Bart contains some memorable songs which can be, as we say, 'whistled by the butcher lad on his bike' - "Food Glorious Food" "Where is Love" "Consider Yourself" " Pick a Pocket or Two" "I'd do Anything" "As Long as He Needs Me" and other memorable tunes.

The role of Fagin in the original production, which ran for 2,618 performances from 30th June 1960, will always be remembered for Ron Moody's  immortal stage (and later) screen portrayal of the part. Other main characters, too, stay in the mind. The hapless Nancy, and the cheery, amoral Artful Dodger are now part of English literary and theatrical folklore: and who can forget the brutal Bill Sykes so perfectly played by Oliver Reed in the 1968 film version of the play.

Cast

Andrew Richardson, Craig Shepherd, Stephanie Allen, Nicola Charlton, Andrew Halliday, Lisa Turner, Ashleigh Summerside, Craig Shaw, Michael Turnbull, James Kidd, Shelly Lamb, Karen Ali, Helen Embleton, Stephen Gavin, Victoria Heron, Jill Anderson, Andrea Wilson, Jane Welch, Sarah Hewison, Andrew Lansbury, Sarah Cook.

* Andrew was one of the musicians in the 1987 production of "OLIVER" as the percussionist			Nancy - Shelly Lamb
Bill Sykes -James Kidd Fagan-Michael   Turnbull        Artful Dodger - Karen Ali
		Mr Bumble-Craig Shepherd	Oliver -  AndrewRichardson
		Widow Corney - Stephanie Allen

See also the 1987 Junior Production of "OLIVER" and the Senior production in 2002

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