Oliver! is always a popular show with amateur companies and audiences alike with well-known songs and a wonderful story by Charles Dickens this show always delights.
Musicality had a great set which was well managed by the stage crew, beautiful costumes and a very good lighting plot which all served to enhance this production. I was particularly impressed by the ensemble who were always focused on stage and sang and danced well.
Theo Budski gave a very heart-warming performance as Oliver Twist and Josie Daniel was a suitably cheeky Artful Dodger. Martyn Luckwell and Emily Merchant played the comic duo of Mr Bumble and Widow Corney beautifully with good comic timing and Emily particularly had great stage presence. Mr and Mrs Sowerberry were played well by Nic Heaton and Zoe Way, they were suitably macabre and Joseph Kerrison and Elie Stallard joined the team as Noah Claypole and Charlotte. There were lovely cameo roles of Mrs Bedwin and Mr Brownlow played by Stephanie Budski and Dion James and also Isobel Bass and Mia Kelleher who played Bet and Charlie Bates.
Robin Haley gave a convincing performance as the menacing Bill Sykes and David Davies-Ribnicov brought humour, great acting ability and characterful singing to the role of Fagin. The star of the evening for me was Elysia Coates as Nancy as she demonstrated a fine singing voice, beautiful stage presence and lit up the stage whenever she was on.
Congratulations Musicality…the audience was surely entertained by your performance!
July 2016 – Luke Spencer, NODA Representative, Wales and Ireland District 5