Cameron Mackintosh presents Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver!

Bart’s musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel Oliver Twist tells the story of young orphan Oliver as he travels through the dark underbelly of London society. The musical score features many famous numbers including Consider Yourself, Food Glorious Food, As Long As He Needs Me and It’s A Fine Life.

Oliver! received its West End premiere in 1960 and a Broadway production followed four years later. A new production of the show was staged in 1994 by director Sam Mendes, with a cast that included Jonathan Pryce as Fagin and Sally Dexter as Nancy. It is this 1994 production upon which this new 2008 staging is based.

Russ Abbot, who plays Fagin (from 14 June) is a comic and actor who rose to fame with his eponymous TV show in the 1980s. His wealth of stage experience includes appearances in My Fair Lady and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End.

Nancy is played by Kerry Ellis, who won the hearts of thousands as Elphaba in the musical Wicked.

Director Rupert Goold – whose direction of Oliver! is based on that of Sam Mendes in the 1994 production – is one of London’s hottest properties who has staged numerous productions in the capital in recent years, including his acclaimed production of Macbeth, which won him the 2008 Best Director Laurence Olivier Award.

For more about Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, read our First Night Feature and the Big Interview with former Fagin, Omid Djalili.

Looking to see some musical theatre? Find out more about London musicals.