Charles Dicken's OLIVER TWIST

From: "will stackman" profwlll@yahoo.com

Subject: Quicktake - "Oliver Twist"adapted from Charles Dickens by Neil Barrett

Date: Wed, Feb 22, 11:58 PM

Quicktake on CHARLES DICKENS "OLIVER TWIST"

     At the center of this faithful adaptation of Dickens best known novel is Ned Eisenberg's scenery chewing performance as Fagin, the mastermind of the gang of juvenile thieves. This role, played as a version of Shylock, was a favorite of Victorian actor/managers. Michael Wartella as the title character, young Oliver, is convincing as the eternal victim, good but very naive. ART regulars, Remo Airaldi as the Beadle Mr. Bumble, Karen MacDonald as the harridan who keeps the workhouse and marries Mr. Bumble, Will LeBow as Mr. Brownlow, Oliver's grandfather, and Thomas Derrah as Mr. Sowerberry, the undertaker as well as Mr. Grimwig, Brownlow's cynical friend perform up to their usual standard, and fill a number of minor roles.

     Notable visiting artists include glowering Gregory Derelian as Bill Sykes (sans dog) and Mrs. Sowerberry, Jennifer Ikea as doomed Nancy, and Carson Elrod as the Artful Dodger, who narrates the story up until his fateful meeting with Oliver on the road to London. The rest of the cast are uniformly convincing as they morph from character to character, form a street band to play Gerald McBurney's original score and join the ensemble in musical interludes in which the cast sings short setting of the author's prose commentary.

     Rae Smith's set is a unique combination of early Victorian popular theatricals, penny dreadful tableaus, toy theatre, and stylized grand guignol. Her costumes are drawn from crude illustrations from the time. Neil Barrett's direction is marvelously choreographed with moments of mock solemnity and frozen violence. Lighting by Scott Zielinski, who recently did Three Sisters and Dido for the ART, and David Remedios' usual first-rate sound design complete this revival of "Oliver Twist" which will next move to NYC's Theatre for a New Audience.

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"Oliver Twist" by adapted from Charles Dickens by Neil Barrett, Feb.17 - Mar. 24

A.R.T at Loeb Auditorium

64 Brattle St. Harvard SQL,, (617) 547 - 8300
A.R.T