The stage and screen musical of Dickens' classic Oliver Twist. Oliver is an orphan who was born in a workhouse. After an unhappy apprenticeship, Oliver runs away to London where he falls in with thieves, headed by Fagin. He is rescued by Mr Brownlow but the gang kidnap him back. Oliver discovers the identity of his parents and the gang is exposed.

A stunning promenade performance bringing the audience into the heart of the performance - enthusiastic acclaim from those that saw it.

The Writer

Lionel Bart - Though unable to read music, East-Ender Lionel Bart (born on 1 August 1930) had a very successful career in West End musicals, above all with Oliver!, a famously tuneful if morally and dramatically diluted version of Oliver Twist. Very much a phenomenon of the '60s, he never reached again the heights of Oliver! which was adapted to Oscar-winning effect by Carol Reed in 1968, and by the early '70s he was bankrupt. His first film score was for The Tommy Steele Story (d. Gerard Bryant, 1957); he wrote the title song for From Russia with Love (d. Terence Young, 1963); and his own stage musical, the period romp Lock Up Your Daughters!, was filmed in 1969 (d. Peter Coe), though not with his songs, which were replaced by a Ron Grainer score.