Review | Oliver! at Chichester Festival Theatre: 'The CFT has done it again'

That we sit on the doorstep of – possibly – the finest provincial theatre in the country is a wonder and a blessing. It seems that, no matter who’s in charge over there, there’s a magic to that theatre that takes the old and the expected and douses it with a seasoning of invigoration and delivers, to its audience, the best.

I hate Oliver! I must admit to a passing shudder when I heard it was their musical-of-choice for the ’24 Summer Season, but then I cast my mind back to their Half-a-Sixpence and their Sound of Music – both of which injected huge amounts of life into those tired old vehicles and zapped them back to life.

And they’ve done it again with Oliver!

This is a masterclass in modern musical theatre.

The cast are sublime, the set is a wonder and the choreography and music – both arrangements and performance – are the very, very finest.

Simon Lipkin makes a wonderful Fagin. While there is, perhaps, a suggestion of Captain Jack Sparrow in his characterisation there’s also a depth to him rather that just being The Comic Turn as is often the case with Fagin and the relationship between him and the gang – and particularly Billy Jenkins as The Artful Dodger – is beautifully realised. The moment at the very end, when all seems lost, and Fagin and Dodger walk off together into the sunset is a particularly nice touch.

But let’s talk about Fagin’s gang (who, of course, also double as the orphans at the beginning of the show). Those youngsters are beyond first-class. Each and every one of them works their socks off on that stage. Their vocals are spot-on and their dancing is slick, slick, slick. Their energy-levels lift the whole show.

Shanay Holmes does exactly what a good Nancy should. Her sung vocals are sweet and uplifting; her belt-vocals blow you back into your seat and make you give thanks for your ticket.

There’s a truly great double-act in Bumble and Widow Corney (Oscar Conlon-Morrey and Katy Secombe) who play the laughs to the hilt and Philip Franks gives sympathy and gravitas to Mr Brownlow. Stephen Matthews also gives a superb, Helpmannesque, performance as Mr Sowerbury – creeping, spider-like, across the stage.

I felt a little cheated in the curtain-call. At press-night, our eponymous hero was played – and played brilliantly – by Cian Eagle-Service. Like Shanay Holmes, he eased between singing and belting, appropriately and with ease, he danced with the best of them and his acting had the sincerity and depth of an actor four times his age and with 20 times his experience. Sadly, his bow was downgraded to third from the top – with Nancy and Fagin coming after him.

Give the kid a break! He’s superb and he’s the title-character – bring him on last!

The show convinced me, as an Oliver! hater, of its greatness; if you’re already an Oliver! lover, don’t think twice.

Get to Chichester and wallow in its seedy, Victorian glory.

Until September 7.