OLIVER!
23/06/2012 - 07/07/2012
Production Details
Strictly limited season – don’t miss out!
Featuring Richard O’Brien as Fagin, Oliver! returns with a scrumptious new look and a talented young cast.
The Tony Award winning tale of Oliver Twist with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart is sure to be a favourite for the whole family. With songs like Food Glorious Food, Oliver, Who Will Buy?, Consider Yourself, As Long as He Needs Me you will leave the theatre humming and tapping your feet.
This new production has reunited the creative team from the sell-out 2010 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Director David Sidwell, musical director Victoria Brown and choreographer Sonja McGirr-Garrett will tantalise your taste buds with this sumptuously decadent new production.
You will be asking… “Please sir, can we have some more?”
23 June – 7 July 2012
Founders Theatre – Tristram Street, Hamilton
Sat 23 June 7.30pm – Opening Night
Tues 26 June 6.30pm
Wed 27 June 7.30pm
Thurs 28 June 7.30pm
Fri 29 June 7.30pm
Sat 30 June 7.30pm
Sun 1 July 2pm – Matinee
Tues 3 July 7.30pm
Wed 4 July 7.30pm
Thurs 5 July 7.30pm
Fri 6 July 7.30pm
Sat 7 July 7.30pm – Final Night
Door Sales available 1 hour prior to performance
Full bar facilities available
For more information on Founders Theatre visit: www.hamiltontheatres.co.nz
The performance is approx. 2 hours including interval
Tickets:
Premium Reserve
Adults: $55
Student / Child (up to 14 yrs): $40
Concession (Seniors 65+): $50
Family Ticket: 2 Adults, 3 Children (up to 14 yrs) $200
‘A’ Reserve
Adults: $45
Student / Child (up to 14 yrs): $30
Concession (Seniors 65+): $40
Family Ticket: 2 Adults, 3 Children (up to 14 yrs) $150
‘B’ Reserve
Adults: $30
Student / Child (up to 14 yrs): $30
Concession (Seniors 65+): $30
plus applicable Ticketek service fees
Book now at Ticketek – click here for contact details and local outlets
or book online at: www.ticketek.co.nz
Group discounts apply for groups of 20 or more – please phone Ticketek Group Bookings on (09) 307 5058
Cast:
Fagin: Richard O’Brien
Oliver Twist: Liam Mc Guire
Artful Dodger: Luke Brooker
Nancy: Kelly Donaldson
Bill Sykes: Nick Wilkinson
Mr. Bumble David Artis
Widow Corney: Fiona Artis
Mrs. Sowerberry; Lisa Wiles
Mr. Sowerberry: Tim Pollock
Mr. Brownlow: Garry Snape
Charlie Bates: Charlie Verberne
Dr. Grimwig Humphrey Pullon
Mrs. Bedwin Dorothy Urlich
Old Sally Gayle Williams
Chairman of the Governors: Garry Snape
FAGIN’S GANG:
Ben Overington, Casey Crowley (Captain), Daniel Overington, Ethyn Gillies, Finlay Pirie, Freddie Field, James Smith, Lincoln Swinerd, Murray Field, Nathan Lea (Snake/Delivery Boy), Ollie Neil (Little Nipper), Oliver Soar; Robert Brodnax, Ryan Foster, Thomas Fitisemanu
COMPANY DANCERS:
Derna Wharehinga, Ezra Shield, Jessica Forkert, Kayleigh Peach, Kelsey Becht, Louise Glyde, Madeline Carpenter, Remy Garrett
COMPANY:
Amy Rudduck (Milkmaid), Casey Robinson, Cecilia Mooney, Chris Young (Rose Seller), Christina Wilson, Don Johnstone, Georgina Burns, Jenny Henderson, Josh Hedley (Knife Grinder), Kristi Bernards, Lydia Hall (Maid), Megan Goldsman, Michael Barnes, Mike Murphy-Scanlon (Policeman), Owen Mooney (One Man Band), Paula Arevalo, Phill Palmer, Rachel Balme, Rachel Gasston (Strawberry Seller), Tama Tawhai, Toni Paton (Matron)
KIDS CHORUS/Both casts:
Alysha Gill, Bella Milne, Grace Gill, Pyper Kerr, Remy Garrett
KIDS CHORUS/Blueberry:
Abbey Penrose, Amber Belle, Angela Glover, Brodie Ware, Cameron Hicks, Cameron Neilson, Dylan Meyer, Emily Hallam, Emily Palmer, Emily Brouwer, Emma Lynn, Erin Myers, Jesiah Wilton, Josh Devlin, Justin Flintoff, Kendall Buckley, Krystel Morante, Letitia Westbury, Luciph Barlow, Lucy Thomas, Maia Campbell, Maire Neilson, Mereana Atatoa-Carr, Milla Ware, Nicholas Fulton, Patrycia Piontecka, Riley Rolton, Simone Peers, Sophie Muldoon, Stella Soar
KIDS CHORUS/Custard:
Anika-Skye Hamilton, Brydie Trenwith, Cadell Millwood, Danielle Gordon, Elizabeth Verberne, Ellen Bisley, Hannah Morgan, Hannah Arevalo, Harry Neil, Holly Craggs, Isabella Douglas, Jia Kim, Kate Bizo, Katie Trigg, Kayla Hunt, Kazane Sawada, Lily Gladstone-Gallagher, Lucy Sidwell, Madisen Bond, Mandi Longmuir, Mark Mason, Michelle Hommel, Mikaela Millwood, Millie Baker, Nellie May Donaldson, Raumati Beazley, yan Murtagh, Siobhan Jones, Tim Evans, Zachari Cutler, Zoe Poole, Zyean Cutler
Production personnel:
Executive Producer: Jason Wade
Director: David Sidwell
Musical Director: Victoria Brown
Choreographer: Sonja McGirr-Garrett
Costume Designer: Joy Wright
Hair/Wigs/Makeup Design: Jocelyn Kerr
Set Design: Invercargill Musical Theatre
Lighting Designer: =Aaron Chesham – ACLX
Sound Design: Terry Molloy - White Audio
Properties Design & Construction: Joss Robertson
Financial Controller: Rachel Balme
Stage Manager: Christine Sidwell
Assistant Stage Manager: Shaun Bugden, Tracy Johnson
Assistant to the Director: Yvonne Milroy
Production Secretary: Philippa Chesham
Sound Operator: Jonny Keating
Sound Assistant: Nat Aldridge, Ricky Oatham
Technical Manager/Set Construction: David Atkinson, David Smith
Stage Crew: Willow Totterdell, Lisa Fletcher, Rose Sidwell
Lighting Board Operator: Chris Walsham
Follow Spot Operator: Nicole Hardy, Melissa Clark. Michael Gilling, Tegan Totterdell
Head of Flying: Ron Braithwaite
Fly Crew: Damien Brown, Luke Willis, Ben Mannell, David Atkinson, David Williams, Jared Ivanovich, Sebastian Mitchell, Bradley Harris, David Smith, Bevan Thomas, T.K Kerei
Hamilton City Theatres Technician: Sven Ludewig, Steven Dobbs, Grant Shearer
Marketing/Sponsorship: Jason Wade
Marketing: Megan Lyon
Marketing/Graphic Design: Catie Wilkinson - Somewhere Creative
Programme Photographer: Borden Li - Indie Film
HCT Technical Contact/Advisor: Richard Sutherland
Dance Captain Adult company: Philippa Chesham
Dance Captain Children’s company: Remy Garrett
Child Supervisor: Kim Millwood
Parent Liaison: Gillian Lyon
Stage Door/Security: Darlene Tottie
Programme Selling Manager: Jenny Sargent
Set Construction and Painting: David Smith, David Atkinson, David Williams, Peter Atkinson, Jim Wade, Ron Braithwaite, Lisa Fletcher, Shaun Bugden, Rose Sidwell, Jenny Sargent, Willow Totterdell, Jason Wade
Wardrobe and Dressing team: Joy Wright, Tina Lynn, Claire Field, Marion Brooker, Kay Neilson, Anne Minkhorst, Maria Eaton, Khayt Hanara, Vicki Buchanan, Gail Scott, Bradley Harris, Wesley Twiss, Danielle Foster, Sheta Swinerd, Megan Hyland, Naomi Glover, Tracey Wilson, Tessa Browne, Jennifer Myers, Gaby Douglas, Rachael Thomas, Sheryl Hayward, Daphne Peers, Katie Hansen, Rebecca Lynn, Emma Lynn, Heather Sigorini, Isobel Brooker, Scarlett Brooker, Morag Carter, Anne Stuart-Menteath
Front of House Manager: Shirley Buchanan,
Front of House: Marwyn Staples, Errol Staples, Barbara Lawrence, Kathy Bruce, Neil Bruce, Joy Milmine, Anna Buchanan, Chris Williamson, Ross Bedwell, Jan Johnson
Seamless assault on the senses brings contagious joy
Review by Gail Pittaway 24th Jun 2012
What a great lot of right choices were made in the creation of the latest offering from Hamilton Operatic Society, both in the selection of this particular show as well as in the team who delivered such a high energy, compelling spectacle.
Of course it’s fitting in 2012 to be remembering the birth one hundred years ago of the author Charles Dickens, whose story is of the horror of poverty and the plight of an orphan named Oliver Twist, born in but never belonging to the workhouse.
The musical Oliver reaches into the memory long after any performance, for the sheer vitality of the songs and lyrics, by Lionel Bart. It’s always popular despite retaining the often dark and nasty aspects of the original story and the fact that several of the songs don’t relate to the action.
The show has a large cast including several great roles for women, other than the usual feeble soprano romantic lead, and an even greater range of opportunities for children; here, according to the programme, two casts of forty, alternating nights. That’s a lot of kids to manage both on stage and off.
Then there are all the roles for cockneys, toffs and middle class merchants to fit onstage. Blimey. Yet director David Sidwell gives outstandingly strong direction, bringing together the competing forces of dancers, singers, troops of children and orchestra well in a fast-paced blast right from the opening number: ‘Food, glorious food’.
There are great cameo moments: Mr Bumble and Widow Corney (David Artis and Fiona Bradley); the undertaker family, the Sowerberrys (Tim Pollock and Lisa Wiles); Bill Sykes (Nicholas Wilkinson) and of course Nancy’s great belter of a number, ‘As long as he needs me’, delivered with appropriate passion by Kelly Donaldson.
Liam McGuire as Oliver is exquisitely other-worldly, while Luke Brooker’s Artful Dodger gives a lively play of song, dance and timing. Then there are the very tiny nippers, so cute even in rags and even a completely unmoved English bull terrier to play Sykes’ dog, Bullseye.
But despite all the distractions the true star of the show is always Fagin and here the choice of Richard O’Brien is perfect. He’s a fey Fagin, light on his feet as well as with his fingers; one of those weak-seeming insidious villains, who’ll always survive. Seeing him work with the gang of pick pockets is pure entertainment. O’Brien’s voice is a joy to listen to and he gives the cast a wash of rock glamour while they in turn don’t let him down.
Sidwell is joined in the creative team by designers and technicians but in particular the music and dance must be mentioned. Musical director Victoria Brown leads a small band to deliver the range of songs and orchestral pieces from ale house numbers and children’s songs to Nancy’s torch song and Fagin’s klezmer-styled ‘Reviewing the situation’ as well as a wide dynamic range. This core role is tight and tidy, giving a lead to most of the action and mood of the whole show.
The choreography of this production by Sonja McGurr Garrett is particularly imaginative, right from the tightly-drilled and repressed workhouse children to the raunchy oom pah pah racket of the public house.
The costumes, for so many people and several of them with several changes, are excellent and must have been a huge labour for the behind the scenes crew. The set, some of which is apparently borrowed from Invercargill, is also very effective in giving layers for action and the sense of the rickety decay of the workhouse, Fagins’ workshop and as a back drop for the gothic funeral parlor scene. Other scene shifts are managed with well designed lighting and small drops and flies while capped maids move properties around appropriately. The whole performance is seamless, an absolute assault on the senses and the joy of those performing it is contagious.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments
Karen McNally June 25th, 2012
I was at the opening night of Oliver! .... I was so impressed ..... as good as any show I have seen anywhere (in the world). Very professionally produced. The casting was flawless. I also have to pass comment about how good it is to see a show and be able to hear every word of dialogue - the sound crew nailed it! I particularly enjoyed the strong women cast in lead roles. It was also a joy to see so many children engaged meaningfully, and I loved the way they travelled through the audience to enter and exit the stage. It is easy to forget how many familiar songs come from Oliver until engrossed in the show. I found myself singing along and tapping my feet along to the music. It was truely such a good night out and I whole heartedly recommend this production to one and all. My husband and I took our son, who was absorbed for the duration ofthe show. There were loads of children in the audience - a great family night out.