'Oliver' - still a great musical
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from June 1994.
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The High School production was an extravaganza. I was going to write: "was directed by Geoff Creswell and was therefore an extravaganza". But that is probably a little unjust to a very talented person.
As I remember it, Mr. Creswell used the entire multipurpose hall at the school as his performance area, with action on the stage at the front of the hall, in the centre of the hall and at the back of the hall. The audience was very much a secondary consideration. We sat in rows on either side of the hall, looking left, right or straight ahead depending on the where the action was taking place. With these three areas, the production could roll at a fine pace, with action in one area while stage-hands busied themselves in another. Cayman Drama Society (CDS) with its Prospect Playhouse has no such room for mass manoeuvres, so started by limiting the cast list to 43, doubling up some of the minor players. Also because of space restriction, the musical is presented as a series of set pieces.
I think the CDS production is probably truer to Bart's intentions. It struck me fairly early into the performance that Bart wrote "Oliver" with Victorian music hall in mind without a master of ceremonies. It is a series of distinct set pieces. My main gripe 16 years ago was that the script or what script there was was terrible. If viewed as Victorian music hall, script is almost superfluous. It is a substitute for: "H'and now my lords, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Golders Green we bring you ... with a little ditty about ..."
After the opening night production which I attended, I broached the idea with director Alan Hall. I'm not sure he quite agreed with me. Watching the production, it struck me how well the musical "Oliver" has survived the years and how fresh it still is. At the end I was reminded how many songs from it have gone on to become standards in their own right - "Who will buy this beautiful morning" and "As long as he needs me" to name but two. The younger generation, I suspect, will hear a number of familiar songs and tunes the origin of which they were unaware.
This is a production worth attending, not just because because there is nothing worth watching on television some evening. It is still a great musical and there are some fine performances. It was some of the smaller vignettes that gave me great pleasure, perhaps because you do not necessarily expect such strength in the second division. I was particularly delighted by Nical Carter and Barry Quappe as Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney, and Valerie Cottier and Dave Robinson as Mrs. and Mr. Sowerberry.
What of the main characters?
Sue Horrocks handled the role of the Artful Dodger with beguiling aplomb-a fine performance; and an inspired piece of casting.
New-comer Douglas Tardif made a very decent effort at Fagin. I suspect he is old enough to have seen film and maybe the stage production. However, it is one thing to know what is expected of you and another to actually do it. I thought it was a well controlled performance which sat nicely on the right side of caricature.
Peter Riley made a fair stab at Bill Sikes but, I thought, lacked the necessary menace. Bill Sykes should be a belligerent psychopath, not just a football hooligan lacking social graces.
The role of Oliver was bravely tackled by Prep School student Tim Gerbrandt. I suspect it requires a trained chorister. His voice was a little soft. Maybe he was a little nervous?
Lander Scott, who played Nancy, has a degree in Theatre from Ohio University. It shows. She gives a performance which will become part of the annals of CDS. I thought the choruses - the workhouse children, Fagin's gang, and the vendors and hucksters - all did sterling work.
It is a sorry mark of the influence of television Cont'd on page 8 from page 3 that the CIHS production of "Oliver" - in pre-tv days - played to packed houses of hundreds. The opening night of the CDS production played to more empty chairs than full ones.
"Oliver" is a good muscial by any measure. CDS makes a more than a decent stab it. Some performances are outstanding. You have got to be anti-entertainment to have a good excuse for not going.
In that CIHS production the Artful Dodger was William Conolly, now a an executive with the Hyatt, Oliver was Michael McLaughlin, Nancy was Sarah Berry, Widow Corney was Anita Wheaton, Derek Tyler was Mr. Sowerberry. Other cast members included Rina Ebanks, now a sergeant with the police, and Luci Tatum who teaches at Red Bay Primary. I would suggest they and the 100 others might make a pilgrimage to their past. Perhaps one evening, CDS should invite them in, bar the public, and have an evening of nostalgia.
