Oliver!

Guiseley Amateurs

Guiseley Amateurs’ latest offering – Lionel Bart’s Oliver! – is a truly spectacular show with some outstanding principal performances, great chorus numbers and brilliant choreography.

The plaudits for the show must go to Jasemine Cundell-Walker, director and choreographer, who certainly gets the best out of all her performers, and Cathy Sweet, the musical director, who ensures that her orchestra is always sympathetic to the performers’ needs and that they are never drowned by the music.

The Guiseley Theatre stage is relatively small but Jasemine makes use of every available inch of space. Some of the chorus numbers, where over 20 people are dancing at once, have great precision and millisecond timing.

On the night I saw the show, Oliver was played by Joey Wilby and I thought he was wonderful.

His diction was spot on and his renditions of Where Is Love? and Who Will Buy? will have the mums and grandmas in the audience reaching for their handkerchiefs.

Joey and Henry Stansfield are sharing the performances throughout the week and the company assures me that Henry is equally as good.

Also high on the list of plaudits is Fiona Spencer, as her portrayal of Nancy was superb. Her renditions of It’s A Fine Life and Oom-Pah-Pah were brilliant, whereas As Long As He Needs Me can only be described as outstanding, such was the pathos that Jasmine and Cathy had instilled in Fiona’s rendition of this number.

But the outstanding performance of the show as far as the principals are concerned has to be that of David Kirk in the role of Fagin. Ron Moody, eat your heart out!

This performance was on a par with the archetypal performance in the film from 40 years ago. Humour in Pick A Pocket and Be Back Soon was superbly contrasted by the poignancy of Reviewing the Situation.

Notable performances from the minor principals were Dale Chadwick as Bill Sykes, Dominic Walker as the Artful Dodger (Harvey Watson sharing this role on alternate performances), John Waite as Mr Brownlow, Terry Ford as Mr Bumble and Shirley Broadbent as Widow Corney. These two certainly provided good humour in their duet I Shall Scream.

As usual, the chorus was outstanding with some excellent singing and choreography in Consider Yourself, Oom Pah Pah and Who Will Buy? while the youngsters shone in Food, Glorious Food, Pick a Pocket and Be Back Soon.

A brilliant show, fully enjoyed by the capacity audience on the opening night.

Oliver! runs at Guiseley Theatre until Saturday.

There are very few tickets left for the remaining performances this week, but if you are able to get one by ringing the box office on (0113) 2506434 or 07502 349325, I can guarantee you will certainly enjoy the show.

John Burland