Magnus Hofgaard as Oliver, foto J.P.Lorentz

«Oliver!” – typically English in Oslo

Lionel Barts underground London comes to new life with talented children

Musical «Oliver!» Text and music by Oliver Bart (1960) after “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens (1838)
Norwegian text: Klaus Hagerup
Direction: Ivar Tindberg
Choreography: Jonas Digerud
Scenographic design: Gjermund Andresen
Musical director: Trond Lindheim
Arrangements: William Brohn and Stephen Metcalfe.

Cast:
Fagin: Geir Kvarme
Oliver Twist: Magnus B Hofgaard/altern Niels H Skåber
Artful Dodger: Kristian V. Indrebø/Sigurd S. Thoresen
25 children (alternating in 2 groups)
Actors and dancers

Premiere March 1st Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theater), Norway.

Review by Torkil Baden
Photos: Oslo Nye Teater/ L-P Lorenz

Joyful girls on the street with Oliver, Magnus B. Hofgaard and Kristian V
. Indrebø as Olivers friend Artful Dodger. Foto: J.P.Lorentz

The most impressing with this new production is the talented children, making out as the poorest of the poor, but dancing and singing as children of Broadway. The creative direction let them loose, but it could have cut a reprise or two of the songs. As a children and family show it is slightly too long.
Magnus B Hofgaard (10) in the title role is a sympathetic, innocent boy ending up in the beggar gang. The tragic misery amongst the prostitutes and pick pockets does not prevent their days and nights to be filled with song and dance
. It is the same paradoxical life that makes “Les Miserables” so strong.
That is actually the essence of the musical theatre – that it combines the contradictions of tragedy and comedy into at show that works
. This production does work, true to the thrilling story and memorable music.

Fagin (Geir Kvarme) and the children,

Veteran
In really old days veteran Lionel Bart (1930-99) was famous for his songs for Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard,
like “Living Doll” (1959). “Oliver!” has achieved a kind of national status in Britain after its premiere in 1960. It has
undergone several transformations in new productions, and it has been played in several Norwegian cities. The sharp Norwegian text of Klaus Hagerup is for a Fredrikstad production fifteen years ago. However this is the first time on a main Oslo stage. And that in a time when the Oslo Nye Teater is to be reorganized and reduced.
The “Oliver!”-production will stand out as a proud example of the great tradition on this stage for musical theater even if the politicians now wants another direction.

Applaus at the premiere night, foto: Henning Høholt

Talent
The many talent competitions on Norwegian TV have certainly made it fashionable also for boys to sing and
dance
. Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber are stars in Norway like in the rest of the world. Oslo Nye Teater can collect
the fruits with children from the whole larger Oslo area. The little stage is packed with children, the youngest 7 years
old.
The stage sets play a vital part in an “Oliver!”-production, depicting London in the 1800-hundreds and especially the less attractive districts. The scenography is impressing using the large stage lift going up and down and revealing three levels with cellars and alleys, bridges and taverns full of colors and atmosphere
.

Ensemble, applaus from te premiere night. Foto: Henning Høholt

Music-hall
An important part of this production is the lack of electronics in the orchestral pit. The musicians are all fully alive and without a single synthesizer or computer or pre-recording! Even the bass is acoustic. This gives a good, old-
fashioned orchestral sound, linking to English music-hall tradition. And it is very different from earlier productions at
the same theater packed with electronics.

The score is based on the radical production in London in 1994 (Palladium). However the orchestra in Oslo is reduced from 22 to 9 and here unfortunatelys without strings. The band is virtuoso under the direction of Trond Lindheim, but I miss the really big sound in voice and instruments.

Not “Cats”.
The choregraphy fills the stage with great pleasures for the eye. The children manage the steps impressively and are supported by a handful of actors and dancers. This is not meant to be the acrobatic dance of “Cats” or “West Side Story”.
The charming Magnus B Hofgaard /Niels Skåber plays against veteran Geir Kvarme as Fagin. The Beggar King
shows the great span in his character, from dictator to the warm protector of the children.

Reality
The singing is fair enough, and the enthusiastic cast make us hum the evergreen “Consider yourself” as we leave the theatre.
There we meet the flocks of gypsy beggars that have flooded the streets during the last year. They have chosen polar Oslo to the misery in homeland Romania.
“Oliver!” is also reality.