Oliver! programme 2024

A SIBFORD PRODUCTION BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH CAMERON MACKINTOSH

BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY LIONEL BART FREELY ADAPTED FROM 'OLIVER TWIST' BY CHARLES DICKENS

THIS AMATEUR PRODUCTION IS PRESENTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL ALL AUTHORISED PERFORMANCE MATERIALS ARE

ACT ONE ACT TWO

SCENE 1

THE WORKHOUSE

SCENE 2

THE WORKHOUSE PARLOUR

SCENE 3

THE UNDERTAKERS

SCENE 4

THE UNDERTAKERS

SCENE 5

PADDINGTON GREEN

SCENE 6

THE THIEVES’ KITCHEN

SCENE 7

THE STREET

FINALE

SCENE 1

THE THREE CRIPPLES

SCENE 2

THE BROWNLOWS’

SCENE 3

THE THIEVES’ KITCHEN

SCENE 4

THE WORKHOUSE

SCENE 5

THE BROWNLOWS’

SCENE 6

LONDON BRIDGE

LONDON BRIDGE

LEAD CAST

OLIVER TWIST

ARTFUL DODGER

FAGIN

NANCY

BILL SIKES

BET

MR BUMBLE

WIDOW CORNEY

MR SOWERBERRY

MRS SOWERBERRY

MRS BEDWIN

CHARLEY BATES

CHARLOTTE NOAH CLAYPOLE

MR BROWNLOW

DR GRIMWIG

OLD SALLY MATRON

- Theo Fletcher

- Florence Troup

- Susannah Morphy-Rankin

- Emilia Moore

- Grace Nichols-Wood

- Mila Stavrik

- Maia Bradley

- Pippa McArdle

- Leia Parkhouse

- Matilda Gormley

- Meg Murray

- Charlotte Moore

- Rupert Day

- Evie Bothwell

- Edward Venn

- Oliver Rossiter

- Erin Ellis

- Charlotte Gormley

- Niamh Claydon

- Evie Bothwell

- Belle MacDougall

- Bonnie Walford

- Oliver Rossiter

- Edward Venn

- Rupert Day

- Sammy Tracey

- Monty Bothwell

- Bonnie Walford

- Katie O’Hanlon

LEAD CAST

OLIVER TWIST

ARTFUL DODGER

FAGIN

NANCY

BILL SYKES BET

LEAD CAST

MR BUMBLE / MR BROWNLOW

MRS BEDWIN

MR SOWERBERRY / NOAH CLAYPOE

WIDOW CORNEY / MRS BEDWIN

MRS SOWERBERRY

CHARLEY BATES CHARLOTTE/ OLD SALLY

MR BROWNLOW

DR GRIMWIG

MATRON

CHAIRMAN AND GOVERNORS

Monty Bothwell

Rose Clark

Louie Shoefield

Willa Spencer-Pratt

“WHO WILL BUY” FEATURED SOLOISTS:

The Rose Seller

Strawberry Seller

Milk Maid

Knife Grinder

Hanne-Lydia Righton

Emilia Tyrrell

Eve Matthews

Oliver Rossiter

DODGER’S GANG

Safia Aziz

Grace Beardsall

Rachel Burch

Rose Clark

Amélie Glennie

Emily Holdsworth

Lily Aspinall

Jennifer Bernert

Freya Bloor

Amelia Clements

Poppy Edgar

Eleanor Gallagher

Skye Hope Hall

Lily johnson

Lily Boxall

tom collins

Lucy Fox

Dolly Goddard

Emily Harper

Ruben Jeffries

Millie Jones

Coltrane Katz

Emily Keen

Charlie Kimmins

Willa Spencer-Pratt

Heidi Stock

Evie Utechin

Freya Woolston

ENSEMBLE

Eada Nicholls

Grace O’Leary

Izzie O’Leary

Hermione Milsom

Eliza Moore

Sophie Rose

Phoebe Somerville

CREW

Coco Kyte

Otis Kyte

Edie Madden

Rhett Prenton-Jones

Joe Taylor

Harry Ward

Bill Wright

Harry Wright

DIRECTORS NOTES

FIONA HUDSON - MUSICAL DIRECTOR

With child hunger, food banks and antisemitism still featuring the headlines in Britain today, Lionel Bart’s Oliver! has – amid its tunes, glorious tunes – an uncomfortable topicality. Although Bart’s 1960 musical twist on Dickens is one to which audiences will always warm, it is notably hard to cast and stage. There is a child central character, meaning that, unusually, the protagonist has only one solo: Where Is Love? And equally unusually for the genre, it has a love story that is violent and coercive: Nancy and Bill Sikes.

The opening song is an absolute cracker. Unlike with so many musicals, the big group number that defines Oliver! isn’t a song about Oliver himself. Instead, it’s ‘Food Glorious Food’, an unexpectedly cheery song about the harsh reality of the workhouse boys.

Two of the best numbers, the irresistibly cheery "Consider Yourself" and the blazing torch song "As Long As He Needs Me" were released before the opening on recordings by Max Bygraves and Shirley Bassey.

The critics raved and the show ran for more than six years, the longest-running British musical until Jesus Christ Superstar came along in 1970. Everyone went to see it. Who doesn’t love the Artful Dodger and Oliver’s friendship, the lyrics to ‘Consider Yourself’ are really heartfelt. “There isn’t a lot to spare / Who cares, whatever we’ve got we share.”

But despite the incredibly grim storyline, we hope that you will still come away tapping your heels. Once you get ‘Oom Pah Pah’ in your head, I can assure you that it is not going anywhere fast. Oliver! is proof that sometimes the darkest subject matter makes for the greatest of musicals. Please, Sir, can we have some more from these extremely talented young Sibford performers!

DIRECTORS NOTES

NEIL MADDEN - DIRECTOR

One of the pleasures of being a drama teacher is choosing to direct the shows that captured my imagination way back in my childhood. Oliver is one of the first films I ever watched, and I was instantly captivated by the larger-thanlife characters, the atmospheric studio sets of Old London Town! I remember being mesmerised by seeing the sights of London and how realistic the Shepperton studio sets were – even the steam train in the film was built on the soundstages of the studio in west London.

I remember the feeling of losing myself f f

Fagin’s abilities of manipulation are so adept that even as a viewer you become seduced, forgiving him everything. . . almost.

Bill Sikes is the out and out villain and the killing of the beautiful Nancy cannot be forgiven. With my most recent visit to the pages of Oliver what is really apparent is just how brilliantly Fagin slips and slides around people with his words and how accomplished he is at getting people to do what he needs them to. He is the father figure to all! Oliver, Dodger, all of Dodger’s gang, even

Now sit back and witness the energy, passion and commitment the performers produce in the large choral numbers. The ensemble’s willingness to work for the greater good of the group is truly heart-warming and joyous to behold. The altruism of the ‘Sibford Ensemble’ never ceases to amaze me.

Ensembles are what knits a cast together. It is from this fertile ground that small acorns grow into the mighty oak trees you will see taking the lead roles in tonight’s show. The same principles apply to the un-seen magic that happens backstage. At Sibford we id l i i h l l

DIRECTORS NOTES

Well, until next time that is! We also had a fantastic contribution from our DT teacher Brian Read producing the frames for the ram-shackle houses you see in the corner of the stage.

The set has been painted by our own crew team and Art department - a big thank you to Cheryl Syrett. The RSC props we have hired have been expertly placed and our set dressed brilliantly by Nickie Johnstone.

Due to the early influence of watching Oliver and the impact of those Shepperton studio sets, it was very i h

REHEARSAL PHOTOS

REHEARSAL PHOTOS