Oliver! (Stourbridge Amateur Operatic Society)

Another outing for the much performed Lionel Bart classic Oliver!, this time on the stage at Stourbridge Town Hall and in the hands of David Shaw (Director), George Stuart (Musical Director) and Amy Williams (Choreographer) from Stourbridge Amateur Operatic Society and frankly a remarkable set of hands they are, creating a production that fills the stage with audience enriching enjoyment from beginning to end.

Since the title role is part of the youth section of the cast, let me mention them first and Harrison Eno as a charming and appropriately sensitive Oliver Twist with a natural yet thoroughly able voice, George Blower creating an effervescent persona as the Artful Dodger, William Shillingford as one of the leading lights of this thieves kitchen, Charlie Bates, complemented by an enthusiastic youth ensemble taking on various roles throughout the production.

It is Terry Gormley’s delightfully bumbling Dr Grimwig who suggests there are only two types of boys, mealy faced or beef faced boys, the latter description could well describe Mark Horne’s performance as Mr Bumble, beefy, full and rich with character which is important as he has to trade exchanges with Anna Hough as an ebullient and dominant Widow Corney, their performance of ‘I Shall Scream!’ is an early highlight in the production.

One of the lesser known songs of the stage production is ‘That’s Your Funeral’ performed by Mr and Mrs Sowerberry another dynamic partnership from a darkly surreal David Gregory and a commandingly demonstrative Emma Mitchell. Completing the scene in the Undertakers we also find Jonathan Hunt’s intimidating Noah Claypole and Emma-Louise Vale’s memorably loud yet decidedly entertaining Charlotte.

We are taken deeper into the seamier and more disreputable parts of the story containing Leon Davies as an energetic, authentic and intensely fascinating Fagin, Steve Coussens creating a disturbing image as Bill Sykes (watch his eyes, piercing doesn’t do them justice) and probably the performance of the night from Anna Forster as Nancy, naturally purveying the strengths and weaknesses of a vulnerable character with consummate ease, of interspersed with some supremely strong vocals.

Due to the strength in depth across the cast it’s impossible not to notice Millie Brown with yet another strong vocal as Bet, a quietly confident piece of acting from Adam Chester as Mr Brownlow and Dawn Shillingford as a welcoming Mrs Bedwin.

If you’re looking for something that is just a great piece of musical theatre for all the family, you should be buying a ticket for this show now before it completes its run on Saturday 26th October 2019.

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