……BILLY SUTER……
PIETER Toerien with Cape Town Opera, by special arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh, has announced the principal cast of the team’s new production of Lionel Bart’s hit musical Oliver!, to be directed by Durban’s Steven Stead – and which will soon tour to Cape Town and Johannesburg. Sadly, Durban is not on the itinerary.
Heading the cast as leader of pickpockets, the conniving Fagin, and his right-hand man, the perky Artful Dodger, will be two of the country’s most popular musical theatre performers – seasoned, perennial favourite Jonathan Roxmouth and fast-rising star of Vincent and The Tramp, Daniel Anderson.The children alternating in the role of Oliver Twist in the musical based on Charles Dickens’s classic novel, will be announced soon.
Oliver! is scheduled for performances at Cape Town’s Artscape from December 11 to January 17, then moves to the Teatro at Johannesburg’s Montecasino from January 29 until early March 7.
At the heart of Oliver! is the story of a brave, young orphan who escapes the harsh confines of a workhouse and ventures into the streets of 19th-century London. There, he encounters the charismatic Fagin and his band of young pickpockets, the Artful Dodger, the troubled Bill Sikes and the compassionate Nancy. As Oliver searches for family, belonging and hope, he finds himself caught between a world of hardship and one filled with unexpected kindness.
The musical celebrating courage, friendship and the search for a place to call home features such evergreen songs as Food, Glorious Food, Where is Love?, Oom Pah Pah, Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two, As Long As He Needs Me. I’d Do Anything and Reviewing the Situation.
Roxmouth, whose many stage successes include The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, JC Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, A Handful of Keys, Cats, Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast, Key Change and Chicago, heads the cast of Oliver! as the wily and charismatic Fagin.
Others in the cast are Bethany Dickson (The Buddy Holly Story, Sunset Boulevard, Matilda, Singing in the Rain) as the warm-hearted and courageous Nancy and Graham Hopkins (Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, My Fair Lady) as Mr Brownlow. William Berger (The Barber of Seville, The Sound of Music,) is Mr Bumble. Richard Gau (We Will Rock You, Evita, Singin in the Rain, Dirty Dancing) has been cast as the notorious Bill Sikes.
Also secured for the cast are Chris van Rensburg (The Addams Family, 7de Laan) as Mr Sowerberry/Grimwig and Dianne Simpson (The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Into the Woods) as Mrs Sowerberry/Bedwin. Megan Spencer (The Royal Countess Zingara, My Fair Lady) plays Mrs Corney, Sunny Yoon (Mamma Mia!, One Piece) takes on the role of Bet.
Joining the principal cast will be a talented ensemble and a cast of 25 children, bringing the colourful characters and bustling world of Victorian London vividly to life. The young actors playing the role of Oliver will be announced soon.
Booking for Oliver! is via Webtickets.
.....SoSuterBill..... 