Oliver!

Angel · **Posted:** Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:34 pm

*claps hands* Marieke, when will you be in London for Lee's 3rd Last night? I'm seeing Oliver on Friday 9th Jan!!! :grin:

Marieke · **Posted:** Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:41 pm

Luna and me will be there on the 9th! (We do come as a pair :lol:

) But we'll be seeing Joe (replacement tix from May - middle of row A :thud:

)

Will want to hear all about it tho! Will probably be seeing the show in February with my friend from Belgium :grin:

Rosefire · **Posted:** Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:52 pm

Marieke wrote:

Luna and me will be there on the 9th! (We do come as a pair :lol:

) But we'll be seeing Joe (replacement tix from May - middle of row A :thud:

)

Woo-hoo! Don't forget to breath from down there. Gutter A it is.

So Angel's going to Oliver, mmmm. I'm very curious to know how it's going to turnout and which of the boys will be starring on opening night. Is it wrong for me to want Jodie to do really really well so she can rub it in ALW and CMs faces?

Marieke · **Posted:** Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:11 pm

Yes, breathing... No, we really shouldn't forget that! lol

Marieke · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:03 pm

Quote:

Australian actress Tamsin Carroll has been cast as the alternate Nancy in the forthcoming revival of Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, which plays at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 12 December (press night 14 Janaury).

Carroll will star in the musical for two performances a week, playing the role that I’d Do Anything winner Jodie Prenger will occupy for the other six shows. Sarah Lark, a losing contestant in the BBC reality show that cast Prenger, has been confirmed as the understudy for both Nancys in the show.

Carroll has won several awards for her portrayal of Nancy in an Australian production of Oliver! The actress’s other stage credits include Dusty, Grease, Shout and The Rocky Horror Show.

Also announced in the cast are Julius D’Silva as Mr Bumble, Wendy Ferguson as Widow Corney and the members of the ensemble who complete the cast. They join the already confirmed Rowan Atkinson as Fagin, Burn Gorman as Bill Sikes, Julian Glover, Rosemary Leach, Julian Bleach and Louise Gold.

While leading lady Prenger was cast by public vote in the BBC television show I’d Do Anything, the three boys who will alternate in the role of Oliver – Laurence Jeffcoate, Gwion Wyn Jones and Harry Stott – were handpicked by producer Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber on the same television programme.

This production of Oliver! is based on Sam Mendes’s 1994 staging at the London Palladium and is directed by this year’s Laurence Olivier Award-winning director Rupert Goold (Macbeth, Six Characters In Search Of An Author). Based on Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist, the story follows young orphan Oliver as he travels through the dark underbelly of London society. The musical score that accompanies his journey includes the much-loved tunes Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, I’d Do Anything and As Long As He Needs Me.

Carroll will play Nancy on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, with Prenger performing on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, plus Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

Angel · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:13 pm

Thanks Marieke, when first reading that I was rather hoping that Tamsin would be doing the Friday shows lol

Marieke · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:20 pm

I do want to see Jodie... But I'm somehow considering to go on Wed or Thurs... :angelwink:

Angel · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:19 pm

tricia · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 11:18 pm

We are going to aWednesday matinee so who will we get?
Am too hyper to concentrate :redface:

Marieke · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 11:21 pm

You'll get Jodie :grin:

Honestly, I think I'd like her, but I'm not really sure, and I don't really mind either way.

johartuk · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:37 am

tricia wrote:

Rosefire wrote:

At first I thought they were promoting a cast of A-actors in case the “wrong” Nancy got chosen and there was a need to improve ticket sales. Did they do that as a backup plan in promoting “Joseph” or “SOM” before the competitions ended? Hmmm....

But now that IDA has ended they can confirm Gorman, who I’m sure will be excellent as well as Atkinson in the show. I’ve only seen him in Blackadder and Mr. Bean as a comic performer but I didn’t know he did singing/dancing/theatre routines as well! Add in bubbly Jodie and it sounds like “Oliver” is going to be a very exciting showstopper.

Sound of Music they cast Lesley Garrett as The mother superior
Dean Collinson and Stephen Tate are both well known actors as Preya was in Joe.
So think they may well have wanted to ensure some experienced people incase the public chose the wrong person
There was no way they were going to lay out all that money and not try to make sure it succeeded.
Or am I just sceptical????????????????????????????????

To be fair, Dean, Stephen and Preeya were hardly household names (and still aren't) to the non-theatregoing public. Essentially, Joseph was a celeb-free zone, which makes what Lee did with it all the more remarkable. He had no 'big names' to fall back on and all the promotion was about him. Oliver! has Rowan Atkinson and Burn Gorman to attract the punters, as well as Jodie. Which, as Nancy isn't a starring role (if memory serves me correctly, she only appears in the second half of the show *I've just checked my soundtrack album of the 1994 West End production - there are 27 songs and Nancy first appears in song 13*) does make sense.

As I recall, there was no real publicity campaign for Joseph (other than obviously saying 'the winner of ADWD will star in this production') until Lee won ADWD and went into the PR campaign fresh from his win). I don't even remember the other principal cast members being announced, though they must have been. There certainly wasn't the fanfare that we've seen with Oliver!

Angel · **Posted:** Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:50 pm

The first 2 shows have been cancelled!! :shock:

Linky Thing

The show will now open on the Evening of 13th December!!!

Linz · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:46 am

So i saw Oliver tonight, and i have to say it was absolutely fantastic!! I won't say too much as i know theres a few of you going soon and i don't want to give too much away.
I got to the theatre and was made the happiest person there cos Gwion was on :whoo:

Those of you who know me, will know i am rather taken by the little welshman and he really was brilliant! I was a bit worried after seeing how terrified he appeared when on the royal variety recently, but he seemed to have improved sooo much, his singing was spot on, and he just really suited the role of Oliver. There was also a very adorable boy playing Nipper tho, and we all agreed he's very close to Gwion in the cuteness stakes... so be prepared to ahh a lot lol

I have to admit i was never a real fan of Jodie.... i was in the Jessie fanclub from day one, and have found Jodie to be quite irritating in the past :-|

However, i have to admit she really was very good indeed :grin:

Her voice was amazing, when she sang As long as he needs me I almost cried, and it takes quite a lot to make me blub in a theatre lol

She's sorted the acting out, and was really very convincing in the role of Nancy, so i have to say i'm quite glad she won in the end.
Now Rowan Atkinson.... absolutely amazing and totally steals the show! He was just destined to play Fagin, he was perfect in the role. I loved the way he had a few little 'Mr Bean' moments, and if you used to watch the show you will recognise his old Teddy as he even makes an appearance! :hysterical:

The rest of the cast were all pretty great, there are three dodgers and three teams of kids who seem to be on a 3 day rotation, so its a bit of pot luck who you get each time. I had Ross McCormack as Dodger, who was very very impressive. Only 13 years of age and had the confidence of someone 3 times his age, and a voice to go with it! The kids are split into teams called Farthings, Shillings and Tanners. Farthings were on tonight and were all great, especially the adorable little kid who played Nipper :thumbsup:

The theatre is huge, and the stage goes on for miles. I've gotten so used to being in the little Adelphi, it was quite bizarre to see such a huge stage. The set was amazing, i was really impressed, and if you are near the front like i was (cente of Row C Stalls :grin:

) you will have the cast come out right in front of you as they appear out of the orchestra pit very frequently!
I wont go into any more detail cos first I am useless at reviews, and secondly I want you all to go see it to find out for yourselves just how great the show is, it really is worth the money :grin:

Angel · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:31 am

Wow, thanks Linz!! & you did quite well for being 'useless at reviews' lol

Looking forward to seeing it next Friday :grin:

Chrissi · **Joined:** Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:22 pm **Posts:** 9556

Thanks Linz!!!! :wave:

Sounds good!

Linz · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:43 pm

Ooh, i forgot to mention Sarah Lark (from IDA) is also in the cast, and is understudy Nancy, so if any of you were fans of her.. get booking for whenever Jodie is on her hols!! lol

x.robyn.x · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:33 pm

I really want to see it!
xxxx

Angel · **Posted:** Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:58 pm

Well I saw Oliver last Friday & really cant add anything to Linz's fab review except to agree that its really worth seeing!!
The whole production is fabulous & Rowan totally steals the show, he's fantastic :grin:

There was a standing ovation from the Stalls where I was that night & well deserved it was :clap:

Nicola · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:13 pm

I'm hoping to get booked up to see this show in early Summer, possibly late May/June-ish. Good to hear that you all liked it! :grin:

showgirl · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:52 am **Posts:** 1971

For those who know the Drury Lane Theatre, please advise me as to the best seats. I want to be able to take in the whole show, but like to be near the action.

I probably won't get much choice, but it always helps to be knowledgeable when phoning or visiting the box office.

Angel · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:27 pm

I was in Row W Stalls Sal & to be honest could have done with being about 3 rows further forward cos the overhang of the DC obscured some of the higher up stuff :grin:

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