Casting is now complete for Cameron Mackintosh's forthcoming London revival of Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, which will begin performances at the West End's Gielgud Theatre December 14.
The classic musical, which Mackintosh reconceived with director and
choreographer Matthew Bourne, is a co-production with Chichester
Festival Theatre, where the show was seen this past summer. Opening night in London is now set for January 14, 2025.
Returning to the cast for the London run will be the previously reported Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls, Avenue Q) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, The Bodyguard) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Henry VI, Wicked) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Misérables, BBC’s Dodger) as the Artful Dodger, Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show, Witness for the Prosecution) as Mr. Brownlow, Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Mother Goose, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) as Mr. Bumble, Katy Secombe (The Music Man, Les Misérables) as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews (Strictly Ballroom, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig, and Jamie Birkett (Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Mamma Mia The Party) as Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin.
Newly announced for the production are the four young actors who will share the title role—Cian Eagle-Service (The Witches, Les Misérables), Raphael Korniets (The Snowman), Jack Philpott (The Witches, Matilda), and Odo Rowntree-Bailly—plus Billy Byers as Alternate Artful Dodger.
Forming the young adult cast are Callum Hudson as Noah Claypole, Isabelle Methven as Bet, Lochlan White as Charley Bates, and Harry Cross as Dandy. The ensemble members/swings are Rachael Archer, Tegan Bannister, Adam Boardman, Lois Craig, Stephen John Davis, Bethany Huckle, Ebony Jonelle, Bethan Keens as Charlotte, Danny Lane, Peter Nash, Josh Patel-Foster, Sam Peggs, Jasmine Sakyiama, Wendy Somerville as Old Sally, Charlie Stripp, Leah Vassell, and Matthew Whennell-Clark.
The younger roles in Fagin’s gang will be shared by Toba Agbelusi, Zoe Akinyosade,
Ben Birch, Preston Cropp, Kylan Michael Denis, Sebastian Elton, Liam
Findlay, Rudy Gibson, Stanley Guy, George Hamblin, Lily Hanna, Sammy
Jones, Grace King, Jonny Niland, Hugo Pechey, Alex Prior, Teddy Probets,
William Skinner, Ethan Sokontwe, Dylan Xavier, and Aaron Zhao.
Mackintosh said in an earlier statement, “Oliver! has been part of my life as actor, stage manager, and producer since I first saw it as a schoolboy in 1960…Matthew Bourne and I, alongside Sam Mendes, first reinvented Lionel Bart's masterpiece in 1994 with a huge production at the London Palladium which we restaged in an even grander way in 2009 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Now 15 years later, having staged the largest production of Oliver! ever, we want to return to the scale of the brilliant original with a more intimate production, thrillingly designed by Lez Brotherston, which in a sweepingly imaginative way conjures up Dickensian London."
Bourne added, “In 1994, I first worked, as a choreographer, with Cameron Mackintosh on Lionel Bart's legendary musical Oliver!—the spectacular Palladium revival, directed by Sam Mendes—it launched a collaboration and friendship that has become one of the most important of my career. Nearly 30 years on, I’m delighted that Cameron has invited me to direct my first musical, and my lifelong relationship with Oliver! continues! Along with my regular collaborators Lez Brotherston and Paule Constable, we are taking it back to its roots, inspired by the groundbreaking 'poor theatre' designs of Sean Kenny—who revolutionized the modern musical along with Lionel and his Joan Littlewood Theatre Workshop influences."
Based on the Charles Dickens classic, the musical (with a book and
score by Bart) follows the story of orphan Oliver Twist, who escapes the
orphanage to the streets of Victorian London. Outside, he meets Fagin,
the Artful Dodger, and a band of child pickpockets. The show's hit songs
include “Where Is Love?,” “Food! Glorious Food!,” and “As Long As He
Needs Me.” The original Broadway production, which played the Imperial
and subsequently transferred to the Shubert, officially opened January
6, 1963, playing 14 previews and 774 regular performances. The
production was nominated for 10 1963 Tony Awards, winning for Best
Composer and Lyricist (Bart), Best Scenic Design (Sean Kenny), and Best
Conductor and Musical Director (Donald Pippin).
Produced and revised by Mackintosh, Oliver! is directed and
choreographed by Bourne and co-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy with
designs by Lez Brotherston, lighting design by Paule Constable and Ben
Jacobs, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design by George Reeve, new
orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe based on the original by William
David Brohn, and music supervision by Graham Hurman.
Visit OlivertheMusical.com.
Company of Oliver!
Simon Lipkin in Oliver!
Simon Lipkin in Oliver!
Shanay Holmes and Billy Jenkins in Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Katy Secombe and Oscar Conlon Morrey in Oliver!
Aaron Sidwell in Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
Company of Oliver!
