Oliver Review

Overall Rating

The scenery changes, musical direction, Rowan Atkinson, Jodie Prenger.

The view from our "Top price" seats.

A minor mechanical hiccup with the set breaking down during the first half performance.

We were delighted to get seats in Box N at the back of the Grand Circle for the matinee performance on the 31st December. Unfortunately the overhang from the Grand Balcony above us obscured the top 6ft or so of the set.

This upper portion of the set is used periodically throughout the show for some musical numbers and to emphasize Bridges or to set the street level apart from the underworld inhabited by Fagin and the gang.

Overall though it was still a wonderful piece of musical theatre, The sets changes are quiet and almost seamless and the stage depth seems to go all the way back to Drury Lane.

Rowan Atkinson portrays Fagin wonderfully with just an occasional hint of Blackadder but thankfully no Mr Bean.

Harry Stott was our Oliver for the show and put in a polished performance with just a hint of a minor prompt required from Rowan at one point.

My personal outstanding star of the show was The Arful Dodger played by Ross McCormack - an absolute delight to watch. We do plan to go back again but next time wil be aiming to get seats in the stalls or to the front of the Grand Circle