The initial moments of “Oliver!,” the Lionel Bart musical
that recently opened at Goodpeed to a packed house, offer thunder, lightning
and deep shadows, all of which evokes the 1948 David Lean film of the Dicken’s
novel, made memorable by Guy Green’s atmospheric cinematography. However, Lean,
in filming the novel, had the freedom to move from location to location and to
redecorate sets as called for. Rob Ruggiero, the musical’s director, has less
freedom given the restraints placed on him and scenic designer Michael
Schweikardt by the confines of the Goodspeed stage. Hence, there’s a certain
static quality to this production, for although props – primarily tables,
chairs and lines of clothing, or, rather, nose wipes – appear and disappear,
the basic scene never really changes, creating a feeling that this is more a
revue featuring a lot of familiar numbers than a fully realized production of
the musical.
Schweikardt’s set, with its metal stairways, pillars and
balustrade that defines a raised walkway, must suffice for multiple locations.
It works for the grim orphanage scene, with the children marching despondently
to “Food, Glorious Food,” and Mr. Bumble (Richard R. Henry) upbraiding Oliver
for having the audacity to ask for more food, but less so in many following
scenes, for the set hovers over the entire production like a dark, oppressive
presence.
Accepting this, as a revue, “Oliver!” has many enjoyable
moments, for the cast works hard to evoke the atmosphere the set impedes. You
simply couldn’t ask for a better Fagin than that created by Donald Corrin. He
has several signature songs and he delivers on each one, from “You’ve Got to
Pick a Pocket or Two” to the delightful “Be Back Soon” and his character’s
analysis of what life’s options offer him in “Reviewing the Situation.” He ably
conveys the idea that though his character is a thief and scoundrel, there’s
still a glimmer of humanity within him.
Equally effective is EJ Zimmerman as Nancy, tavern slattern
and the girlfriend of the supremely villainous Bill Sikes (an impressively
menacing Brandon Andrus -- he was so effective as the villain that his curtain
call evoked several “Boos,” a sure sign that he had done his job as an actor).
Zimmerman’s character also has some signature songs and she handles these with
ease. There’s the rousing “Oom-Pah-Pah,” which opens the second act, and the
heartfelt “As Long as He Needs Me,” which the audience responded to with
unbridled approval. She’s a pert, believable Nancy, and her character’s death
at the hands of Sikes is still shocking.
Given that “Oliver!” is primarily about children being used
for criminal purposes, there are quite a few child actors on the stage, chief
among them Elijah Rayman as Oliver and Gavin Swartz as the Artful Dodger.
Rayman has a certain angelic quality to him that emphasizes his character is a
bright light in an otherwise dark world, a world that Swartz’s character is
familiar with, though one might ask him to be just a bit more “artful.”
In many past Goodspeed productions (several directed by
Ruggiero), ensemble numbers often overcame the stage’s confines, but in the
case of “Oliver!,” even though Ruggiero utilizes the aisles and balcony,
“Consider Yourself” and “Who Will Buy?” seem oddly restrained. You want them to
go one step further, to break through the visual confines and overwhelm you.
That, for at least one audience member, simply didn’t happen.
Familiar as I am with the Dicken’s novel and with its
various iterations in film and on the stage, it’s difficult to imagine the
response of those who come fresh to the Goodspeed production. I filled in the
blanks and had certain expectations for characters before they ever appeared,
and much of my response was whether or not they fulfilled those expectations. I
knew what I wanted Fagin, Nancy and Bill Sikes to do, and they, by and large,
succeeded. Thus, I was, to a certain extent, seeing a different show than those
who had never seen “Oliver!” before. In retrospect, I would have liked to set
up a table outside with a little sign that said “What did you think?” Alas, all
I could do was listen to the off-hand comments of the audience members as we
all filed out of the theater, comments that seemed essentially positive,
especially with regards to Corren’s and Zimmerman’s performances.
It all, in the end, comes down to opinion, which is
influenced to a certain extent by familiarity. If you’ve tasted 10 different
vanilla ice creams then your opinion of the eleventh will be different than
that of the person who experiences her first scoop. Her response may
justifiably be, “That was divine,” while someone with a more experienced (some
might say “jaded”) palate might say, “Not bad.” In the case of “Oliver!,” the
response can run the gamut.
“Oliver!” has been extended and will run through September
13. For tickets or more information call 860.873.8668 or visit:
www.goodspeed.org.
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