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Please
Sir, can I have some more?
3rd June 2008
By Cheryl Threadgold
Anyone walking
past MLOC rehearsal venues in Parkdale and Braeside over the past
few weeks may wonder what is going on when hearing young voices
singing ‘Food, Glorious Food’ or ‘You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or
Two’. No, these voices do not represent young people starving or
leading lives of crime, but instead belong to thirty talented boys
rehearsing for MLOC’s production of Oliver! being presented
from June 13 – 21 at the Phoenix Theatre, Elwood.
 This
classic Lionel Bart musical for all ages is based on the Charles
Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist. The orphaned Oliver lives in a
workhouse with other orphaned boys, but after disrupting a meal by
asking for more, is sold to a cruel family. Oliver escapes and
quickly befriends the Artful Dodger who introduces him to an academy
for orphans who study pick-pocketing from Fagin. Oliver is
also introduced to Nancy Sykes and her best friend, Bet.
MLOC’s show is
directed by Roy Mears, with musical direction by Geoff Earle and
choreography by Joy Curtis. Assistant Musical Director is Tania
Chaves. Two juvenile casts will alternate performances, portraying
the roles of Oliver, the Artful Dodger, Charley Bates and the
Brixton and Lambeth lads.
Harrison
Cochrane is thirteen and plays one of the Oliver roles. He says “Roy
Mears and Geoff Earle are such great directors for music and
production and such nice people. They have a standard that we have
to reach and I think that is great, because then everyone works as
hard as they can to get to that standard in a very happy and fun
environment. Being able to work with all the boys is such fun and we
all get on really well, having lots of laughs in amongst lots of
hard work. I really love being Oliver.”
 Ten
years old Gervais Wright-Smith who also plays Oliver commented,
"It's great to have the role of Oliver because I really love acting,
singing and dancing, so it's the perfect role for me. Getting the
role of Oliver means hard work but it all pays off once you do the
play and realise you did it great! It's really fun but you have to
practise a lot. I've made friends with the adults and it's been
incredibly fun. ‘Food Glorious Food’ is incredibly hard because
there are lots of solos. My favourite songs are ‘Who Will Buy?’,
‘Where is Love?’, ‘I'd Do Anything’ and ‘Be Back Soon’. When I grow
up I would like to be an actor who sings and dances. I also want to
become a writer and filmmaker. Anyone can be in a play if it's
something which they really, really love doing."
When asked how he is enjoying playing one of the Artful Dodger
roles, James Robertson replies, “It has been a fantastic experience
working with the whole cast, especially Roy and Geoff again. I think
the Dodger has been one of my favourite roles and is something that
every young actor should dream of playing, sometime during their
childhood years. I am lucky to be playing the role in 2008.
Hopefully I will go as far as I can in Performing Arts and do an
after school VCA Musical Theatre course.”
Popular songs from the show include
‘Consider Yourself’, ‘I’d Do Anything’, ‘Food, Glorious Food’,
‘You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two’, ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’ and ‘As Long As
He Needs Me.’
Principal cast members are Michael Young (Fagin), Kevin Seerup
(Sykes), Jenni Tyack (Nancy), Gervais Wright-Smith (Oliver),
Harrison Cochrane (Oliver), Jed Morton (Artful Dodger), James
Robertson (Artful Dodger), James Dormer (Charley Bates), Patrick
Newbold (Charley Bates), Steve Coultas (Mr Bumble), Carol Yates
(Widow Corney), Mark Taylor (Mr Sowerberry), Margot Sephton (Mrs
Sowerberry), Kate Knight (Charlotte Sowerberry), Daniel Payne (Noah
Claypool), Amber Ricks (Bet), Brendan Maggs (Tony), Bernadette
Kinsella (Mrs Bedwin), Garry Bertrand (Dr Grimwig), Tony Hosemans (Mr
Brownlow) and Mary Bryant (Old Sally). They are joined by a strong
ensemble and the talented alternating casts of the Brixton and
Lambeth lads.
Kevin Seerup
is Vice-President of MLOC and also plays the role of Bill Sykes. He
says “It is an interesting challenge
playing a menacing no-good character, particularly when my natural
tendency is to crack jokes whenever the opportunity arises. One of
the highlights for me during a recent rehearsal was when one of the
boys told me he ‘forgot it was a play’ during one of my ‘angry’
scenes with
Nancy.”
Treasurer of MLOC since 1981 and President since 1991, Graeme
Marriott adds, “Our director, Roy Mears, with his third show for
MLOC, has excelled in his training techniques for Oliver! Superbly
supported by choreographer Joy Curtis and Geoff Earle as musical
director, Roy has demonstrated by example not only the commitment
required of musical theatre but also the fun that can be derived as
the show shapes up. His leadership is most commendable and we are
really looking forward to his direction of our first show for 2009,
which will be announced any day now.”
Now, instead of continuing with the show’s storyline, a better idea
is to “Consider Yourself” booking a ticket to see this lively show
and learn more about the story of the boy who dared to ask for more.
Tickets are selling fast.
Oliver! can be seen at the Phoenix Theatre, 101 Glenhuntly Rd.,
Elwood from June 13 – 21. Bookings 9570-4052 or
www.mloc.org.au
For further details see What’s
On. |