This new production of Oliver! must wait for a large enough venue before opening on Broadway to accommodate the huge sets designed for this revival. Visiting Toronto following its record breaking, three-year run at The London Palladium, Cameron Mackintosh, (Les Miserables, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon) whose career, ironically, began as an assistant stage manager for the 1960 original, assembled some of London's most creative music theater talents to "re- imagine" Lionel Bart's brilliant, tune-filled work for a new generation. Their version contains more dramatic elements of Dickens' dark story.
The outdoor scenes are impressive, sans the ingenious landmark revolving stage seen originally. Omitting an overture, we are brusquely thrust into a hitherto unseen prologue -- a lone female figure struggles in a heavy rainstorm, to reach the front door of an orphanage. Soon after entry, a newborn baby's cries pierces the thunder and lightning. Segue (with much technical activity) to the orphanage meal hall ten years later with the boy orphans marching to "Food, Glorious Food" (almost stopping the show right there). Oliver is urged by the hungry mates to confront the formidable Beadle to utter the legendary line: "Please sir, may I have some more?" Oliver is swiftly sold to become an undertaker's apprentice. He escapes and is "adopted" by a juvenile gang ("Consider Yerself") to become a pickpocket thief under the care and tutelage of the tough but sentimental Fagin. After harrowing experiences with the dreaded Bill Sikes, Fagin's partner), and the protective efforts by Fagin's moll, Nancy, Oliver is eventually united with his long-lost, well-heeled grandfather (Brownlow). Despite cutting the comical "I Could Scream," Sowerberry's change from dour-faced undertaker to gleeful schemer, and suspicions that Artful Dodger's role has been trimmed along with other regretful moves to shorten playing time, there's still much to admire. British comedy star Russ Abbot is a brilliant Fagin. Newcomer Sonia Swaby's Nancy belts "As Long As He Needs Me" with rousing (if mechnical) passion, Steven Hartley is fearsome as the psychotic Sikes, and the production numbers bring tremendous response. However, first-time Oliver!-goers are deprived of sentimental moments intrinsic to this enduring story retained in the Peter Coe-directed original. But why quibble?
