Oliver

Cameron Mackintosh Presentation, Royal Theatre Drury Lane, London
Friday 12^th December 2008 – currently booking to Saturday 18^th July 2009

The creators of the reality television show I’ll Do Anything were very clever; reminding the UK population how much they love the Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver!and subsequently attracting an audience that is not necessarily the theatre-going type. They then suitably catered for their audience with a sleek, constantly changing, fast paced, television-like production, complete with their new favourite reality stars and other famous television faces. The creators’ cleverness has, undeniably, paid off, with record breaking sales and regular full houses in the large Royal Theatre Drury Lane. The audience certainly do lap up what they are served, yet, this reviewer wonders if Cameron Mackintosh’s newest production of Oliver! is anything new or if it is really needed.

The quality of the set and staging cannot be denied, as the whole performance is beautifully crafted on the vast theatre space. The cast boasts over eighty performers and the sequences involving all of these performers are truly epic. The children performers are directed flawlessly and seem perfectly aware of their likeability. I’ll Do Anything winner, Jodie Prenger, portrays a typical Nancy, which is a very honest presentation of the character. Prenger, undeniably, commands the stage in the energetic “Oom-Pah-Pah” opening to the second act and is well received, through the entire performance, by the audience. Likewise, Rowan Atkinson’s Fagin is well pitched for the audience and is mostly played for comic purposes, although, it could be argued, his performance went against the character’s sinister nature in Dickens’ book.

The lack of devoted, theatrical, Dickensian style is the productions main drawback. The colourful London is far from other darker presentations of Dickens’ works and this flaw is assisted by the light, contagious music. Overall, the musical is at home in the Royal Theatre Drury Lane and is much adored by the audience, although lacking the Dickensian grit.

A Brilliant 'Miss Julie' by August Strindberg at The Old Red Lion Theatre

August Strindberg's intricate and naturalistic one-act play, with just three central characters, explores themes of class, love, lust, the battle of the sexes, and the interaction among them. When first produced Miss Julie pioneered a new genre of theatre, Naturalism, which moved beyond the melodramatic dramas of the period and focused on realism and everyday life.

Dirty Boots Theatre Company opens its second season with a new adaptation of Miss Julie. Director Billie Wilson, has devised a stunning new version of Miss Julie, setting the play in the 1920s in Miss Julie’s father’s kitchen in his mansion the night before Ash Wednesday. This 90-minute one-act play grows from a spark to a raging wildfire scorching and consuming us to its unsettling climax and out of the theatre into the autumn night where we continue to ponder the brilliance of this masterful classic.

Billie Wilson’s direction here could not be more detailed, succinct, and stunning. Her casting is phenomenal.

Christine (Felicity Downs), is devastated but maintained by her religious faith when she finds out her fiance, Jean, the valet of the house, has consummated his love for Miss Julie. Sarah Owen as Miss Julie skillfully evokes the many moods and discrepancies of her character’s psyche. Ms. Owen does some of the finest work of her career thus far as she navigates the tangled web of Julie’s skewed life. Robin Seymour, a most accomplished actor, fills Jean with all of the delicious details and conspicuous qualities that remind us what great acting is all about— his complete immersion into the part makes his Jean as real and natural as the day Strindberg wrote him. A huge “Bravo!” to the entire cast for brilliantly creating truly riveting and unforgettable characters.

Lighting design by Conner Flory is naturalistic and sets the right mood.

Costume design by Dora McCoy brilliantly differentiates Miss Julie’s flapper attire from Jean’s valet attire and the cook’s clothing.

Sound design by Brad Morgan brilliantly captures a Mardi Gras celebration that is happening in the background in real time, filled with lively music, chattering, and gossiping.

Get your tickets early to this stunningly brilliant new version of Miss Julie, which runs through May 23rd