Oliver!

Location: Theatre Royal Dury Lane

A trip down to the Theatre Royal on Dury Lane will involve taking in the delights of Oliver! in 2009 as the nineteenth century boy goes on his journey through London in the Charles Dickens classic. The production of the famous tale has been drawing in huge crowds since it opened, due to its well received portrayal of a familiar story and its star power in the form of Rowan Atkinson.

Oliver! is made famous by the classic scene inside a dinner hall of a workhouse. Oliver dares to ask a question that no-one else would think to ask, “Please sir, can I have some more?” However, this act of bravery soon turns into an act he might regret as it lands him in hot water. This eventually leads to him being kicked out and Oliver begins down a very dark path. Out on the streets, the next thing to happen to him is he is sold out as an apprentice undertaker. This does not last long, however, and soon enough Oliver is back out on his own when he lands himself in even more trouble and finds himself in the position of being forced on the run. His journey takes him into the seedy under belly of 19th century London – a criminal underworld in which a whole host of characters lurk. Oliver meets them and during his time he happens across the well known Artful Dodger.

Atkinson plays the role of Fagin, but his time in the production will soon be over, with the actor replaced by another comedian in the form of Omid Djalili. Atkinson has been blowing audiences away in the role, so Djalili has some shoes to fill, but with a track record that includes movies like Gladiator and The Mummy, he will undoubtedly shine in the role. As well as these movies, Djalili has also appeared in his own television series as well as television sitcoms such as Black Books. When he arrives in 2009 he will be starring alongside Jodie Prenger as Nancy, who audiences will recognise for winning the role in the BBC talent competition under the name I’d Do Anything.

So make sure you get your theatre tickets and head down to the historic Theatre Royal on Dury Lane, a venue that has graced the London scene since 1812. It will be a show to remember.