Charles Dickens’ orphan Oliver Twist asks for more in Titchfield Festival Theatre’s staging of classic musical

The show will have 18 separate performances, running from June 13-25 – a record for the theatre.

The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin.

Sassy Harvey, deputy artistic director of TFT is directing and she says: ‘We chose to perform Oliver! this year as we were looking for a great feel good, popular show that could involve some of the younger performers to play key roles alongside our incredible adult actors. I love the Victorian era, the memorable characters and indeed the songs. After all, where else would you see perform singing orphans, dancing pickpockets and musical slum dwellers? Victorian squalor has never looked so good!

‘Oliver! is also special for our community theatre because the project really encompasses all ages, all abilities and has really brought the performers together. In fact, the musical includes actors from age six to age 86 all performing within this cast.

‘The production itself takes us back to the era of Victorian grime; unforgettable characters such as Fagin, Artful Dodger and Nancy come to life and have been reimagined by a number of performers. What is different with this show is the fact that we have two casts with three sets of Fagin gangs, Fagins, Olivers and Artful Dodgers. Just like a West End production works with a number of changes in casting, we have casts on a rotation to perform, so that each show will feel exciting and new as the actors perform together at different times.’

TFT’s production of Oliver! includes the well-known songs such as Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You've Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I'd Do Anything and Oom Pah Pah… plus many more. Audiences will leave the auditorium humming the tunes and smiling from making a new fond memory!

Oliver is at Titchfield Festival Theatre, St Margaret’s Lane on Monday June 13 to June 25. The shows start at 7.30pm. There are matinée and early performances on the weekends.Go to titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com or contact the box office on 0333 666 3366.