Oliver! time.

So we start off with orphans getting crappy food and we get “Food, Glorious Food.” Oliver (Mark Lester) winds up having to ask for seconds from Mr. Bumble (Harry Secombe) and  Widow Corney. We then get “Oliver!” and “Boy for Sale.” Oliver then winds up with undertaker Mr. Sowerberry (Leonard Rossiter); but, Sowerberry’s other appreciate (Noah Claypole (Kenneth Cranham)) bullies Oliver. Oliver goes all Carrie White on Claypole and Oliver winds up in a coffin and in the cellar, and…

That escalated quickly.

We then get “Where is Love?” and Oliver is able to escape from that situation.

Oliver meets the Artful Dodger (a great Jack Wild) and we get “Consider Yourself.” We then meet Fagin (a fantastic Ron Moody). Fagin is teaching some young pickpockets and we get “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two.” We then meet Bill Sikes (the fantastic Oliver Reed). We then meet Nancy (Bill’s girlfriend) (the fantastic Shani Wallis) and we get Nancy justifying her crappy existence with “It’s a Fine Life.” Oliver discovers Fagin’s retirement savings and we get “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two (Reprise).”

It is a new day. Nancy and Bet arrive to get Sikes’ money from Fagin and we get “I’d Do Anything.” Fagin prepares the boys for a day of thieving and we get “Be Back Soon.” Dodger swipes a wallet off of Mr Brownlow (Joseph O’Conor); however, Brownlow thinks that Oliver is the thief and he sends the cops after him. Mr. Jessop (James Hayter) is all “Oliver is innocent!” Brownlow becomes a surrogate dad to Oliver. It is implied that Sikes and Fagin will be keeping an eye on Oliver and Nancy is not a fan.

We then get the extravagant “Who Will Buy.” Fagin and Sikes want to get Oliver back; but, Nancy is not a fan. Sikes strikes Nancy and we get “As Long as He Needs Me.”

Back to Oliver. Mr. Brownlow is starting to believe that he is Oliver’s great-uncle. Sikes and Nancy (mostly Sikes) kidnap Oliver. Oliver puts up a fight and Sikes gets mad. Nancy is all “My life stinks. Sikes threatens Fagin and we get “Reviewing the Situation.”

Sikes gets Oliver involved in a robbery; however, the robbery goes haywire. Nancy agrees to meet up with Brownlow at London Bridge at midnight; however, Sikes has Bullseye guard Oliver. We then get “Oom-Pah-Pah,” and…

It’s a song about sex

That won’t get us into trouble with the MPAA

…and Sikes notices that Nancy took Oliver.

Sikes offs Nancy and Bullseye goes to the police. Brownlow and a mob go to the thieves’ residence and the thieves make a run for it. Fagin’s collection gets away from him and Sikes is shot. Fagin starts to reform; but, Dodger reunites with him and talks him into a life of crime. Oliver reunites with Brownlow.

Oliver! is still a classic.

Charity Spotlight: Mennonite Central Committee U.S. 

Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Website:

https://mcc.org/

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