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Archive for 2. June 2010
AS LONG AS HE BEATS ME: OLIVER!
2. June 2010 by admin.
AS LONG AS HE BEATS ME: OLIVER!
F. J. Hartland
Pittsburgh CLO has launched its 64th season with a production of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.
It is a colorful, high-energy production—sure to please. Perhaps a better production that the material warrants, with its flat characters and musical numbers that do nothing to propel the show along…
Kate Shindle shines as Nancy, imbuing her with such warmth and charm that it is impossible not to fall in love with her. Her rendition of “As Long as He Needs Me” absolutely soars and is one of the show’s highlights. (Of course, she sings this song right after the man who “needs her”—as a human punching bag—the sociopath Bill Sykes has slapped her to the ground. So I always think of the number as “As Long as He Beats Me.” Nancy—get help…get away…do something!) Local talent Joseph Serafini plays the title role. The diminutive twelve-year-old has a powerful voice as evidenced in “Where Is Love?” After hearing that song butchered in so many productions of Oliver! it was a treat to hear it sung so masterfully by young Serafini. He is also quite a good actor as well.
Christian Whelan plays the menacing villain Bill Sykes. While he has a commanding presence, his thick (and loud) accent makes much of what he has to say incomprehensible. Ditto on Joe Jackson as Noah Claypoole.
Robin Lounsbury gives a humorous and memorable performance as the Widow Corney. Not as successful is the television star Mark Indelicato (from Ugly Betty) who plays a very one-dimensional Artful Dodger.
In all honesty, the show should be called Fagin! It is the role with the most characterization—and usually the one that stays in the audience’s mind. Patrick Page gives a commanding performance, dominating the stage whenever he appears. Personally, I found his character choices more appropriate for Shylock in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, but he does give the performance to watch.
Mark Morton’s massive set is spectacular. It fills the Benedum’s stage but always keeps the set changes moving swiftly. Lighting by John McLain has some dark spots and it was hard to tell if they were done on purpose to create a mood—or not.
The orchestra (under Musical Coordinator Frank Ostrowski) was spectacular. Likewise, the ensemble sparkles, adding energy (and gymnastics) to the evening.
Director Richard Stafford keeps the pace of the show crisp and the evening runs about 2 hours and ten minutes. However, there is some awkward staging with actors upstaging one another. Also, the major event of Act Two (spoiler alert…stop reading now if you don’t know the ending), the murder of a character is completely obscured.
Oliver! continues through June 6.
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