Lionel Bart’s adaptation of Dickens’ Oliver Twist not only won a Tony and an Olivier, but it is also one of the few movie musicals to win an Oscar for Best Picture.  Audiences, critics and theater people alike call it a masterpiece. Full of classic characters—Oliver, Dodger, Fagin, Nancy, Sikes and more; classic sites—the Thieves Lair, City Streets, the Bridge; classic songs—"Food, Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself at Home,” “Who Will Buy.” Oliver is a joyous, heart-warming, and thrilling experience.

What is Oliver about? It’s an age-old story. It’s about homeless, vulnerable kids in the underbelly of a major metropolis. They are taken advantage of by scheming adults. They yearn for a loving home. The story is universal. It could be San Francisco during the Great Depression.  It could be Ellis Island at the turn of the last century. It could be boats off the coast of Naples or trucks from Calais to Dover today.  

And so, we came to “Oliver with a Twist”!  It’s not Victorian England, but 1890 in the New York tenements. The Kids are all ages and identities. The Guvs are the Trustees of a Parochial Workhouse. The spirit of choice is rum, not gin. Oliver is sold for bucks, not pounds. The bridge on which Nancy is murdered is the Brooklyn Bridge, not London Bridge. Designers, particularly Sets and Costumes, were inspired by Jacob Riis’ “How the Other Half Lives: Photos and Studies Among the Tenements of New York”.

A reminder that the show is unnerving at times and may not be for all ages. We see abuse, punitive justice, and abduction. We encounter racial stereotyping. We experience characters who are ill with depression. We use props such as guns. And, we encounter optimism, joy, and kindness. Nancy sings “It’s a Fine Life” and Dodger and Company tell Oliver to “Consider Yourself at Home.” Great songs and dance, great production values galore. Don’t miss out!