Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist
Love & Madness
Directed by Abigail Anderson
Riverside Studios

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for Whatsonstage.com

It’s a brave choice to stage Oliver Twist when you have the highly publicised and anticipated musical version playing just down the road. If high kicks and good ‘ol cockney spirit is what you are after then you’d best stick with the Drury Lane production as you won’t find any of that down at Riverside Studios.

This much loved story of an orphaned boy needs little explanation, so ingrained is it in British literature. Love & Madness’ production is far more true to Dickens original story of the bleak existence of a boy called Oliver Twist. Not to say that this production is without laughs as there are many comical characters to be found but the humour certainly doesn’t come from a little ditty about how to pick a pocket or two.

Abigail Anderson’s pacey and energetic direction is perfect for this production which is ideally suited to a younger audience. The cast of five are wonderfully over the top in their presentation of Dickens larger than life characters, yet their performances remain truthful and do not patronise their audience. A grotesque Mr Bumble (Simon Yadoo), a troubled Nancy (Lucia McAnespie) with a heart of gold and a Dodger (Cary Crankson) who sounds like he hangs out with the kids of today remind us why this story remains so popular. Although the brutal murder of Nancy is not for the fainthearted.

The problem however lies in the fact that this production is essentially geared towards children and yet is playing to an adult audience. Whilst an older audience will still gain enjoyment from the performance they would realistically prefer something a little more sophisticated.

Children and teenagers will delight in the re-telling of this classic and it could be especially popular with those studying the text at school. However if Riverside Studios want its audience asking “please sir, can I have some more” they’ll need to reconsider their scheduling of such a production as sadly your more mature audience member will need something a little more filling.

Frozen

Frozen
Written by Bryony Lavery
Directed by Sonia Fraser
Fresh Glory Productions
Riverside Theatre

30th June – 20th July, 2008

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for Remotegoat

Wednesday 2nd July, 2008

Paedophilia is a sad but harsh reality that we are constantly faced with today.

Bryony Lavery’s play Frozen may have premiered back in 1998 with the Birmingham Rep but it could not be more topical and poignant in today’s current climate, particularly with the recent announcement that the Portuguese police have closed the case in the search for missing Madeleine McCann.

Lavery does anything but skirt around the issue as she delves in and goes straight for the jugular, in perhaps the most honest depiction of child abduction that I have seen on either screen or stage.

Three Loners stand on stage: the mother of an abducted child, a Paedophile and a criminal psychologist. They each tell their story as the play spans twenty years; considering the impact on the family left behind, the mind of the perpetrator and the reasons behind their crimes as Lavery explores the difference between mental illness and pure evil – if in fact there is a difference.

Director, Sonia Fraser, lets the narrative of this play speak for itself. With minimal set and props, she allows the story to simply be told by the immensely talented cast who bring these characters to life.

Dorothy Lawrence’s Nancy is both fragile and strong as a mother who has lost her youngest daughter in the cruellest of ways. Despite never physically seeing her family, they are conjured up on stage through the love and tenderness with which she describes them, making the disappearance of one of them all the more painful to endure.

There is a tangible feeling of empathy for Nancy amongst the audience which is matched with a feeling of loathing for Jack James’s remarkable performance as Ralph. Physically nervy, yet mentally calculated, James frighteningly brings to life the logistics of being a paedophile. His almost smug exterior with his darting eyes and fiddling fingers leaves one feeling extremely uncertain as he shares his exploits, sparing you no detail.

However, Frozen is not black and white. Lavery introduces many areas of grey as criminal psychologist Agnetha (Rosalind Cressy) uses Ralph as part of a study to examine the criminal mind; arguing that you are not born evil and that both physical and mental trauma at a young age can have astounding consequences. This concept is difficult to digest. We need someone or something to blame for the atrocities in life. To have someone’s behaviour explained; painting them as a victim also is difficult and painful to swallow but something that all the characters, as well as the audience are forced to consider.

Surprisingly, considering the subject matter, Frozen is not all doom and gloom. There is a thread of humour throughout the play, finding comedy in the darkest of moments, reminding us that things can’t stay frozen forever, eventually they must thaw.