OLIVER! Begins Previews at Drury Lane Tonight, 12/13

 Cameron Mackintosh's new production of OLIVER!" starts previews tonight Saturday 13 December at 7.30pm at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The earlier scheduled preview performances on Friday 12 December at 7.30pm and Saturday 13 December matinee at 2.30pm were canceled.

In a statement earlier this past week Mackintosh explained, "Due to the complexity of the production and the need to safely rehearse 150 children with the adult company of 35 actors on a moving set, we have decided that we need extra rehearsal time and therefore, with great regret, I have decided to cancel the first two previews.

"Licensing regulations require us to have three teams of 50 children, many of whom are on stage for most of the show. Each scene has to be rehearsed three times and, as the set is very large and complicated, it is imperative that they are rehearsed in complete safety.

"I am terribly sorry for the disappointment this will cause, but my team are doing everything to reseat patrons into future performances as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we are working towards creating a fantastic show which will be the largest production of "OLIVER!" ever seen."

Customers booked into these cancelled performances were advised to contact their original point of sale to arrange an exchange or refund.The new production of Lionel Bart's musical masterpiece "OLIVER!" stars Rowan Atkinson as ‘Fagin', Jodie Prenger as ‘Nancy' and Burn Gorman as ‘Bill Sikes' at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Performances commence on 13 December and the press night is on 14 January.

Playing the alternate ‘Nancy' (on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the two performances Jodie is not scheduled to play), Cameron has great pleasure in confirming that Tamsin Carroll, the award-winning Australian star of his 2002 Australian production of "OLIVER!", has agreed to join the London production. Tamsin had an enormous personal success playing ‘Nancy', which won her every single major Australian award for ‘Best Actress in a Musical'. Tamsin also had huge success playing the title role of ‘Dusty Springfield' in the original Australian production of "Dusty", as well as leading roles in "Grease", "Shout" and "The Rocky Horror Show".

The rest of the cast includes Julius D'Silva as ‘Mr. Bumble' and Wendy Ferguson as ‘Widow Corney'. Other supporting roles already announced include Julian Glover as ‘Mr Brownlow', Rosemary Leach as ‘Mrs Bedwin' and Julian Bleach and Louise Gold as ‘Mr and Mrs Sowerberry'. The role of ‘Oliver' will be shared by the winners of BBC TV's "I'd Do Anything", Lawrence Jeffcoate, Gwion Wyn Jones and Harry Stott, and the ‘Artful Dodger's will be Eric Dibb Fuller, Robert Madge and Ross McCormack.

Another popular finalist from "I'd Do Anything", Sarah Lark, will also join the company as one of the street sellers in Who Will Buy, and will be covering ‘Nancy'. The cast will also feature Chris Bennett, Jay Bryce, Philip Catchpole, Matthew Clark, Mary Cormack, Hadrian Delacey, Alison Dormer, Tom Edden, Cara Elston, Susan Fay, Jenny Fitzpatrick, Lyndsey Gardiner, Ian Jervis, Robert Kershaw, Tim Laurenti, Rebecca Louis, Claire Rickard, David Roberts, Oliver Roll, Myra Sands, Charlotte Spencer, Spencer Stafford, Hollie Taylor and Lynne Wilmot.

Rupert Goold (winner of the 2008 Olivier Award ‘Best Director') will be directing the production, which is based on Sam Mendes' triumphant 1994 staging, along with Tony Award-winning co-director and choreographer Matthew Bourne. Production design is by Anthony Ward, lighting design by Paule Constable and sound is by Paul Groothuis, with orchestrations by William D Brohn.

The 1994 London Palladium production of "OLIVER!" played 1,366 performances over three years and grossed more than £40 million at the box office, breaking the then record for the longest run at that theatre.

The production at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane promises to be even more spectacular than ever before, with a cast and orchestra of over one hundred. The sensational score is full of Lionel Bart's irresistible songs including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You've Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I'd Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah, As Long As He Needs Me and many more.

This production is produced in association with the Southbrook Group Limited.

Performance times for "OLIVER!" at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane will be as follows evening performances are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets, priced from £17.50 - £60.00 for all performances, will be available from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Box Office on 0844 412 2955 and online at www.oliverthemusical.com.

 

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