Oliver Twist, West Walls, Carlisle – 16th & 17th February 2013
Most of the audience were familiar with the musical version of this popular show, how would they find this dramatic piece?
If patrons were expecting an amateur production they will have been pleasantly surprised by the high calibre of acting and presentation delivered by this young group of actors. Once again this group of youngsters, ranging from 6 to 17 years old, put on an amazing performance, showcasing young local talent which could rival any west end production.
Even though the characters were familiar to the audience, each actor was able to put a little of their personality into their performance and make the character their own.
Artful Dodger, played by Oliver Gibbon, opened the show by setting the scene, transporting the audience to a workhouse in London, and the show began. With the use of very little props and scenery the audience were able to follow the story of Oliver’s birth and experience a little of what life was like.
Not all of the play was doom and gloom and light-hearted moments were littered throughout the performance. The scene following the sale of Oliver (Beth Giles) involving a real coffin was very entertaining as was Oliver’s court appearance.
Fagin was expertly played by one of the senior members, Richard Gibbon, and his interaction with both his gang of thieves and Bill Sykes (Harry Wharam) and Nancy (Abbi Crawford) were a pleasure to watch.
Not many members of the audience would have the ability to remember the monologues that these young actors performed never mind the complex words and accents. Cumbria Drama Group should be justifiably proud off their performances both nights as it was evident that a lot of time had been spent not only learning lines and parts but also in perfecting their delivery.
