‘Polished show, packed with seasonal spirit’
If the large Christmas tree in the entrance wasn’t a big enough pointer to the fact the festive season has well and truly landed at Hull Truck Theatre, the show that unfolded in its Stage 1 auditorium last night (Tuesday, December 2) sealed the deal. There was no way any Christmas humbugs present were going to leave without a smile on their face or a song in their heart after witnessing the theatre’s take on Oliver Twist, which is running throughout the Christmas period.
And what a polished show it was, packed with seasonal spirit and delivered with panache, from the very youngest cast members upwards. I like the fact with “Truck” that you at once feel part of the proceedings even as you take your seat.
With no formal stage and curtain-up, you are already immersed in the set – a backdrop giving off the best workhouse vibes and a misty, moody atmosphere, on this occasion – before the actors even appear. Beautiful Dickensian costume matched by beautiful singing got the performance off to a rousing Yuletide start.
A company of just eight actors – supported by a 19-strong crew of young performers who have been cast from Hull Truck’s Youth Theatre and other local performing arts groups – play the main roles and pop in and out of the scenes in their various guises with great aplomb. One can only imagine the swift back-and-forth costume changes off stage, and how many times they are going to have to do that for the show’s entire run into January.
Oliver Twist, taken from the novel by Charles Dickens, adapted by Deborah McAndrew and directed by Mark Babych, follows the journey of Oliver, a young boy born into a life of poverty, raised in a workhouse and sold into an apprenticeship. He escapes to London, where he is befriended by the charismatic Artful Dodger and recruited into a band of pickpockets and thieves, led by the crafty and manipulative Fagin.
The production features traditional much-loved carols, delivered with gusto by the cast and cleverly intertwined in parts to represent the joy, and the bleakness, felt by the characters at Christmastime. There are folk tunes in there, too, and original music, all helping to provide an emotive soundtrack to the family show.
There is humour to offset the darker moments of the story – Mrs Sowerberry’s cat has a funny cameo role – and there is light, hope and even some snow sprinkled in with the magic. It was interesting to see traditionally male roles in the story of Oliver Twist played by female actors and how they put those characters across.
The eight main actors are Alyce Liburd (Nancy); Lisa Howard (Fagin/Old Sally); Christopher D. Hunt (Bill Sikes); William Relton (Mr Sowerberry/Mr Brownlow); Alison Fitzjohn (Mrs Sowerberry/Widow Corney/Mrs Bedwin); Andrew Whitehead (Mr Bumble/Mr Grimwig/Mr Fang); Jessica Jolleys (Bet/Rose/Agnes); Robyn McIntyre (featured ensemble/understudy). Oliver Twist, supported by Hull Trains, is running now until Sunday, January 4.
Tickets can be purchased via www.hulltruck.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01482 323638, with concessions available for select performances. Recommended age guidance is 7+.
Access Performances: Baby Friendly (Friday, December 5, 11am), Relaxed (Friday, December 12, 7pm; Tuesday, December 16, 10.15am; Saturday, January 3, 2pm), BSL Interpreted (Wednesday, December 17, 10.15am; Sunday, December 21, 6pm), Captioned (Sunday, December 21, 6pm), Touch Tour (Saturday, December 27, 12.30pm); Audio Described (Saturday, December 27, 2pm).