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Topic History of: Oliver
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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hedda |
Saw the Oliver West End version twice and loved it.
Met Lionel Bart a few times. A rather sad case for a brilliant man. Sold off the complete rights to Oliver only for it run endlessly for decades. |
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JK2006 |
I loved The Law Is An Ass long before I experienced it. |
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Downing Street Cat |
Great writer but great story teller. The cast of characters in his works is extraordinary. And all written with a goose quill pen and black ink. He would only write in natural daylight from 9am to 2pm without a break. |
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JK2006 |
Reminded by one of the dozens of messages about this - a few years ago I re-read Oliver Twist - I try to reread a Dickens every year but had avoided this one, knowing the film and stage show so well. I was quite shocked by how brilliant the novel is. When someone asks me what Dickens their grand child should start with - actually, these days, great grand child - I say either Oliver Twist or A Tale Of Two Cities - both spot on for 2025. My personal favourite is Bleak House. |
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JK2006 |
The new production at the Gielgud Theatre is absolutely fabulous. Mainly because Dickens was a genius. Also because my old friend Lionel Bart was at his peak, before the drugs ruined him. But the choreography and dancing are fantastic. Totally sold out - all ages but mainly the elderly. I found it difficult to hear the dialogue even with my excellent new hearing aids and the seat, though perfectly placed, was very tight, surrounded by plump geriatrics with as much hand baggage as on an economy class flight from Melbourne.
The guy playing Fagin Simon Lipkin was great - neither too Jewish nor too paedo. The dancers extraordinary.
How on earth that size of cast fit backstage I have no idea.
But the overwhelming feeling is - my God, the last of the musicals with dozens of hit songs. Next door Les Mis has just one (the brilliant Bring Him Home). |
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