Bath Light Operatic Group make a welcome return to the stage this autumn to perform Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, one of the most loved musicals of all time, appearing at the Theatre Royal Bath from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 September.
Oliver! tells the story of the workhouse boy who dared to ask for more; who runs away and becomes one of Fagin’s gang of street urchins; who tries to pick a pocket or two, but gets caught. As Nancy risks everything to save him, Oliver is reunited with his true family.
The streets of Victorian London are brought vividly to life in this hugely popular family show, filled with some of Charles Dickens’ most iconic characters including Mr Bumble, the sinister Sowerberrys, the Artful Dodger, the conniving but charismatic Fagin, brutal Bill Sikes and warm-hearted Nancy.
Based on Dickens’s novel, Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver! first opened in London in 1960 before being turned into an Academy Award-winning film in 1968. The sensational score features some of the best-known songs in musical theatre including Consider Yourself, Food Glorious Food, I'd Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah and As Long as He Needs Me.
Following their recent critically acclaimed productions of Mack & Mabel, Shrek The Musical and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Bath Light Operatic Group (BLOG) return to the Theatre Royal to present their latest production with the creative team led by Director Tristan Carter, Musical Director Matthew Finch and Choreographer Lizzie Andrews.
The cast features thirty-five adults from Bath and the surrounding area, and forty-four children, who are divided into two sets sharing the experience of performing across the run. They are joined by Doris, the English Bull Terrier, making her debut as Bill Sikes’ sidekick, Bullseye. The title role of Oliver! is shared by Charlie Alonso and Jack Parsonage, with the role of the Artful Dodger shared by William Millard and James Flintoff.
Nick Feierabend reprises the role of Bill Sikes, having previously performed in Oliver! with Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society (BODS) in 2017 at Hayesfield School's Roper Theatre. For Bath Light Operatic Group (BLOG), his many roles have ranged from Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes to Bill Hickok in Calamity Jane and Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.
The role of the mischievous thief, Fagin, is played by Geoff White. A huge favourite with Bath audiences, Geoff has performed with Bath Light Operatic Group at the Theatre Royal for more than 40 years. His many principal roles for BLOG include Mack Sennett in Mack & Mabel, Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical, Julian Marsh in 42nd Street and Oliver Warbucks in Annie.
Harriet Lowe, who plays the role of Nancy, is making her debut with Bath Light Operatic Group, having previously performed with Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society and the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance.
Musical Director Matthew Finch has worked with Bath Light Operatic Group since 1997, first taking on the role as their Musical Director in 1999. He has worked most recently on BLOG’s productions of Mack & Mabel in 2022; Shrek The Musical in 2019; 42nd Street in 2018; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2017; Annie in 2016; Sister Act in 2015; Jesus Christ Superstar in 2014; South Pacific in 2013 and The Sound of Music in 2012 - all at Bath’s Theatre Royal.
Director Tristan Carter is the Director and Head of Acting at Curtain Up Theatre School, which he co-founded for young people in 2003. Tristan trained in Musical Theatre at Guildford School of Acting before working professionally. His directing credits have included productions for Bath Light Operatic Group, Bath Operatic and Dramatic Society and several award-winning productions for Curtain Up Theatre School. He has also performed in the local area for many years, with roles for BLOG and BODS including Sweeney in Sweeney Todd, Adam Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast, Che in Evita, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.
One of the most acclaimed amateur companies in the region, Bath Light Operatic Group first performed at the Theatre Royal Bath in 1956 when they staged The Geisha. The group has achieved much critical success, winning Bristol Post Rose Bowl Awards for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Pickwick; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; West Side Story; Kiss Me Kate and Barnum. BLOG has also won the N.O.D.A. Award for Excellence for its productions of South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Sweeney Todd.
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