Legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh and director-choreographer Matthew Bourne are bringing a new, "more intimate production" of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! to the Chichester Festival Theatre in West Sussex, England. From there the production is expected to move to London's West End in December. This is a drastic change from Mackintosh's previous "huge" stagings of the musical with director Sam Mendes in 1994 and 2009.
On the casting, Playbill reports:
The cast will be led by the previously reported Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Henry VI) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Misérables) as the Artful Dodger, and Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show) as Mr. Brownlow.
Newly announced for the production are Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Mother Goose) as Mr. Bumble, Katy Secombe (The Music Man) as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews (Strictly Ballroom) as Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig, and Jamie Birkett (Peter Pan Goes Wrong) as Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin.
Sharing the role of Oliver Twist will be Cian Eagle-Service (The Witches), Raphael Korniets (The Snowman), and Jack Philpott (The Witches).
The Chichester Festival Theatre website has rehearsal footage and photos along with a link to purchase tickets.
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