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REVIEW: Oliver!, Kings Theatre
You can't really go wrong with Oliver!. Everyone knows the plot – and everyone knows the songs.
Even so, the Portsmouth Players are to be congratulated for putting their own mark on the famous Lionel Bart musical.
The Dickens novel isn't what you could call an uplifting story, but somehow this production does raise the spirits, as evidenced by the hearty and lengthy reception given to the cast by a packed Friday-night house at the magnificent old Kings Theatre in Southsea.
Oliver was played beautifully by Oliver Kanavan, who has shared the role with Redman Rance for the six-show run, but arguably the star of the show on this occasion was James Moore, who as The Artful Dodger, showed a stage presence belied his tender years.
From the moment he walked on with a Cockney swagger and met Oliver for the first time, the audience hung on his every well-delivered word and neat little dance move.
Liz Hubbuck delivered impressive tempos and vocals as Nancy, and, in fact, the overall musical standards were extremely high, and would put many professional productions in the shade.
For many, inevitably, the highlights were the old favourites – Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and I'd Do Anything to name but three.
The ladies' and gents' choruses each did their bit to bring Bart's work to life and few left the Kings with anything other than wide smiles at the end of the night.
Directed and choreographed by John Bettesworth with Angela Blackwell its musical director, this was Portsmouth' Players first production of 2010.
Plenty who saw it will eagerly await their second.
STEVE BONE
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Weather for Chichester
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
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Light sleet showers
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