Oliver! as presented by Galway Musical Society
Oliver! As presented by Galway Musical Society:
Saturday, 20th April 2024.
Oliver, with a twist, would be an appropriate way to describe this exciting adventure from Galway Musical Society, for it certainly wasn’t your run-of-the-mill production. Having opted for a Steam Punk styling for the show, Director Paul Norton didn’t allow any half-measures. The costuming was superbly detailed, almost industrial in nature and brilliantly sourced, with hats and goggles, chains and trinkets, buckles, and hardware attachments. Aesthetically, the set was quite spectacular, excellent in construction and beautifully painted. It had a good and well used upper walkway, and a half revolve that was dressed differently for several scenes.
Most of the changes occurred off-stage, which allowed for a very free-flowing sequence, and reduced the stress on the stage manager, Chontelle Kenny, who, along with her crew, efficiently looked after the props. The sets and the costumes combined really did give the whole production a new energy and vitality, plus the fact that the Musical Director, John Roe, was working off a new set of choral and orchestral arrangements that significantly beefed up the musical substance of the show. There were more choral harmonies than I can ever remember, and happily, they were extremely well-rehearsed and very strongly performed. So too, the wonderful new orchestrations, which were played with zeal by a most competent and confident band of musicians. The balance was great, and the playing was very sensitive and mellow for the more tender musical passages. I’ve done the show so often in the past that I suppose I take much of the quality of the piece for granted, but this was a wake-up call. Everything about the new improved book and score made me sit up and pay attention.
Equally impressed to be working on enhanced chorus numbers, Choreographer, Michael Healy, did a very good job of filling his routines with invention and high-energy. While the standard of the dancing was very accomplished, the focus in the biggest numbers was definitely on the ambiance of the performance, resulting in a very in-your-face, powerful delivery, vibrant energy, and big, strong finishing pictures. The stage just seemed to leap into life. His work with the workhouse orphans and with Fagin’s gang of miscreants was very noteworthy and so much fun.
The other major success for Paul Norton was the direction of principals, which was significantly darker than usual, with a strong emphasis on the crass, the sinister undertones and the depravity of the story, which, if you have read the original work by Dickens, is a much more accurate realisation of his writing, than the normal sugar-coated musical version. Of course, it might have fallen flat had he not infused his dark ideas into the minds of his performers so successfully. The cast rose brilliantly to the challenge.
There was a very disturbing demeanour about Patrick Byrne in the role of Fagin, and yet a hilarious streak of the ridiculous about him. His look and his voice were perfect, and his comedy was very well-played. His work with the children was excellent, almost fatherly, in a toxic and creepy manner, but his scenes with Bill Sykes best displayed both his weaker nature and his evil interests. His songs were very well delivered, especially “Reviewing the situation.” Very good work.
Keith Hanley as Sykes was terrifying. Looking like a gothic force of evil, he strode about the stage with menace, growled and sulked, and gave vent to frightening bursts of anger. I preferred the old arrangement of “My Name,” but he still performed the new version with a level of quiet terror. His abuse of Nancy and Oliver was intense, and his murder of Nancy was disturbingly evil.
There was great passion in Sarah Corcoran’s singing of “As Long As He Needs Me,” and indeed, her vocals throughout were very strong. I would have liked her to be more brazen in “Oom-Pah-Pah,” and I think perhaps she needed to wreck her hair and look a tad more slattern generally, but her heart was in her character.
As Mr. Bumble, Niall Conway, gave a hilariously comedic and inappropriate performance, rambunctious in the delivery of “I Shall Scream,” and an utter slob once he was married to Widow Corney. His powerful voice was used to great effect in the opening scene, to put the fear of God into the workhouse boys, and he sang “Boy For Sale” with a quality tenor voice.
An excellent character comedic performance.
Not to be outshone, Heather Colohan was an equally loquacious Widow Corney, with a lugubrious countenance that evaporated only when she was flirting with Bumble. “I Shall Scream” was ribald and hilarious, and her performance was notable for superb facial expression, the strongest being disdain. Very good work.
As undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry, Mervyn Fahy was dull and creepy and pedantic in the delivery of his lines, creating a very sinister character, and apart from a tendency to drop the level of his voice, he managed his role and his song most capably.
As his domineering wife, Mrs. Sowerberry, Donna Creaven was somewhere between the wicked witch of the west and Norah Batty! With a great north of England accent, and a rather scary demeanour, I was amazed at how naturally she played the hen-pecking wife! “That’s your Funeral” was very well-delivered, and there was strong comedy as she got her come
uppance from Oliver, ass-first into a coffin.
Michael Healy, after choreographing the show, settled nicely into the role of Noah Claypole, being obnoxious in his treatment of Oliver, and comically inappropriate in his relationship with Charlotte, played with great character and a brazen attitude by Aisling Carroll, who sleazed about the stage like a harlot in the making. These two were a lovely pairing.
David Alexander brought a strong element of dignity and normality to the role of Mr. Brownlow, sincere in his concern for Oliver, and delightfully disgusted by the antics of Bumble and Corney.
As his housekeeper, Mrs. Bedwin, Michelle Drysdale reprised “Where is Love” very nicely, and showed genuine kindness and concern for Oliver.
Jay Hall was quite ridiculous and extremely funny Dr. Grimwig, a kind of blustering buffoon who never quite got the diagnosis right. Very nicely played.
Kate Timothy made a good impression as Nancy’s sidekick, Bet, and made the most of her opportunities to shine.
Linsey Cant died with dignity as Old Sally, after successfully croaking her revelation about Oliver’s past. A well-played cameo.
The voices of Emma Murphy as the Rose Seller, Aoife Kilroy as the Strawberry Seller, Roisin Holland as the Milkmaid and Brandon Collier as the Knife Grinder, were all excellent and contributed so much to the success of “Who Will Buy.”
And then there were the children.
In the titular role of Oliver, 11-year-old Rónán Harney was a sensation. Looking every bit the impoverished waif, when he sang “Where is Love” and tears rolled down his cheeks, I think the whole theatre melted. He displayed great fun and energy in “Consider Yourself” and “Pick a Pocket,” and sang divinely for “Who Will Buy,” but what impressed me the most was the sheer terror that he displayed when kidnapped and dragged about the stage by Bill Sykes. Unreal acting ability for one so young.
12-year-old, Harry Greaney, played the role of The Artful Dodger with confidence and ability, even if he had a tendency to rush his lines. His singing was strong and very tuneful, and while he had the perfect cheeky chap look about him, he perhaps needed a cheekier attitude to match it. But this is a young man to watch out for, being charming, polite, and very talented.
Charley Bates, played by Iarlaith Kennedy, delivered his few lines to Fagin with a great cheeky chap attitude.
The chorus of children in this production were smaller in number than one usually expects for Oliver! but they certainly weren’t small in attitude or achievement. As the workhouse orphans they looked pale and impoverished, and sang “Food Glorious Food” with gusto, but they really came to the fore as Fagin’s gang. Looking like a genuine gang of best buddies, their sense of fun and adventure in all their scenes was excellent. Scuffy and unkempt, they looked fabulous and their delivery of “Pick a Pocket,” “I’d Do Anything,” “It’s a Fine Life” and “Be Back Soon” was energetic, highly amusing, and delightfully sung. What a talented bunch!
Thanks, in part, to the new vocal arrangements, the chorus work in this production was vastly more substantial than usual and inspired the Director and the Choreographer to go to town in their big numbers. “Consider Yourself” grew from a delightful duet with Dodger and Oliver into a showstopper of energy and strong vocals. “Oom-pah-pah” was like a crowded night in a very unruly rugby club bar, and “Who Will Buy” built into a big, bright, and beautifully presented number. Singing was pretty great throughout, and the dance and movement were polished and precise.
The show was enhanced by very effective lighting, with good colour to suggest dark and shadowy surroundings, without actually being too dark. Action was well highlighted, and the effects when Nancy was being murdered by Bill, were quite stunning and chilling. Sound quality was good throughout, perhaps with Oliver starting a bit quiet and then being quickly boosted. Cueing was good and the balance between stage and pit was carefully controlled.
As usual, Paul Norton came very close to that line that shouldn’t be crossed, but given the style of this whole production, I don’t believe, on this occasion, that he actually crossed it. The show was bawdy and brash, dark, and disturbing, but then again, it wasn’t the director, but the author who wrote of child exploitation and corruption, bawdy barmaids and nefarious criminals, and murder and mayhem. Perhaps more than any of his previous productions, he got this one completely right.
Peter Kennedy
Gilbert Adjudicator 23/24
Photos by Ian Walsh of Brenóg Media
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