Today marks a glorious 65 years since Oliver!, Lionel Bart’s beloved musical masterpiece, made itself at home in London’s West End. Premiering at Wimbledon Theatre before transferring to the New Theatre (now the Noël Coward Theatre) on 30 June 1960, it quickly gained a legion of fans. And with an Oscar-winning film adaptation following soon after, Oliver! gave its fans even more to get tucked into. Cementing itself as a theatrical, and cinematic, sensation.
From page to stage
Inspired by Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the musical brought to life the grime and heart of Victorian London with irresistible charm. Lionel Bart wrote the book, music, and lyrics - well, kind of… Bart did not know how to read or write music, so composer Eric Rogers transcribed the melodies as Lionel hummed them!
Bart’s adaptation was equal parts gritty and heartwarming, pairing tales of poverty and pickpockets with toe-tapping tunes, that even non-musical theatre fans could sing word for word, including; “Consider Yourself,” “Food, Glorious Food,” and “As Long As He Needs Me.”
The production was groundbreaking at the time - Oliver! was one of the first British musicals to rival Broadway imports and proved that homegrown talent could headline the West End. It ran for a staggering 2,618 performances at the New Theatre, setting a then-record for a British musical.
Stars (and almost-stars) in the making
We don’t have any hot sausage and mustard, but we do have a tasty bit of trivia for you: Oscar winner Michael Caine auditioned for the role of Bill Sikes in the original London production - but didn’t get the part. We wonder what happened to him…
The role eventually went to Ron Moody. Moody’s performance became so synonymous with the character that he reprised it in the 1968 Oscar-winning film adaptation. Speaking of the film: it scooped up six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It remains the only British Musical to pick up the award for Best Picture.
Other notable Fagins include; comedy legend Rowan Atkinson, Olivier nominee Simon Lipkin, two-time Tony nominee Clive Revill, and Oscar winner Ben Kingsly.
Oliver grows up
Over the years, Oliver! has seen numerous revivals and reinventions, and plenty of its child stars have gone on to accomplish incredible things. The 1994 revival was particularly notable, as it saw Tom Fletcher of McFly and James Bourne of Busted - later united in McBusted - both played the title role of Oliver. They also shared the role with S Club's Jon Lee! After leaving S Club, Lee went back to his theatre roots, starring in Les Miserables and Jersey Boys, before performing at the West End Proms.
Oliver gets a reality check
In 2009, Oliver! was revived once again, this time at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The production was cast in part via the BBC reality show I’d Do Anything, which saw Jodie Prenger win the role of Nancy. The TV series received over 6 million viewers each week, over 30% of the TV share, and saw West End superstars Rachel Tucker, Samantha Barks and Jessie Buckley all compete for the role. Surely there hasn’t been a talent show that has had THAT MUCH talent since.
Why Oliver! still matters
At its heart, Oliver! is a story of survival, kindness, and the strange families we find along the way. Its blend of irresistible music, Dickensian drama, and heart-stirring moments has kept it evergreen.
And let’s face it, no school year is truly complete without at least one tearful parent watching their child belt out “Where Is Love?” somewhere in the UK.
See Oliver! today
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