Oliver, Regent Theatre Stoke on Trent Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
Last night, Staffordshire Stage Productions brought to life the iconic story of Oliver! at the Regent Theatre in Stoke. One of my favourite theatres, the Regent is easy to locate and has many parking options in the near backbite.
With a cast bursting at the seems with youthful talent and ability, as well as some older, very experienced actors, we fell in love all over again with the songs, characters and story that makes Oliver what it is! Producer Jonathan Cliffe recreated a show very much fit for the west end!
I was completely engrossed in the performance from start to finish, the sets were fast moving and fantastic, the cast young and old were faultless, it was amazing to hear the power and passion right from the very first scene. I’ll be going to see it again tonight!
From the offset we knew it was going to be something memorable with the stunning performance by Jayden Kay who played Oliver. He and talented Shaylan Wright (the artful dodger) made a great team and moved across the stage like seasoned actors.
A big shout out to the brilliantly quirky Craig Armstrong for his role as Fagin. You could clearly see the amazing relationship between Fagin and his gang, the gang genuinely looked like they were ready to give up their lives to keep him in the business. Sam Hands as Bill Sikes was very well played, incredibly scary and intimidating! Fabulous vocals by Kayleigh Ann Strong (Nancy). She very much made the role her own and made a phenomenal Nancy!
Further mention to Simeon Green (Mr Bumble), Rosemary Gresty (Widow Corney), David Bird (Mr Sowerberry & Mr Brownlow) and Sarah Mould (Mrs Sowerberry) – each and everyone made the cast and show a huge success. The first night ended with a standing ovation and I am so excited to see how it ends tonight.
A delightful shout out to little Nipper who not only sang on his own on stage but he a great boogie, flossing away much to the delight of the audience!!!
Two teams of children actors form part of the cast. Tonight, Friday night and Saturday night, the second, equally talented team will be performing. Team 1 will be performing again on Thursday night and the Saturday matinee.
Vibrant productions, innovative educational programs and bold creative thinking defined stage productions as a leader in the theatre industry. Dedicated to the development and showcasing of new talent and audience development, previous stage productions projects include Oliver!, Rent, The King and I, Brassed Off, Billy Elliot the Musical and Jesus Christ Superstar. Established in 2008 as a community interest company, Stage Productions is dedicated to the preservation, creation and promotion of the arts; the furnishing of arts education; and providing outreach and meaningful opportunities to communities.
I rate this show as 5/5. Tickets start from £13 (and worth every penny) and can be purchased from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/oliver-stage-productions/regent-theatre/calendar/2023-10-18
The last performance is on the 21st October at 19:30.
Don’t miss this production, the cast have worked so hard on their performance. So very proud of each one of them!
Rating: 5/5