Tired of investigations into the White House? Indictments? Iraq? Katrina? Gas prices?
See Driftwood’s “Oliver!”
This musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic takes you through a 19th-century London populated by murderers, thieves, drunks and hustlers. They scheme, they party, they use and abuse.
You gotta love these guys.
A bigger stage presence might make Conor Garside’s Oliver a more definitive rags-to-riches orphan. But it is hard to imagine a more pitiful street kid. Garside is naïve, impressionable, helpless.
On the other hand, Cayman Llika as Nancy tears your heart out singing “As Long As He Needs Me.” Llika makes of this pop-blues lyric a powerful, agonizing story of a hooker’s draw to her pimp.
And John Klise, as the perennially likable Fagin, adds a convincing touch of conscience to the role of ragman-ringleader of homeless juveniles. Like most Fagins, Klise’s has no problem with the sticky sweet, manipulative, miserly manner that is expected. But Klise’s also wrestles mightily with the idea of changing his ways, so mightily that he winds up persuading either himself or you that he just might. Con job or turn around? You decide.
Lantz Wagner’s Bill Sykes is chilling. Nick Fuchs and Rebekah Krupke make passes back and forth as Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney. He bills. She coos. He leers. She smiles. He touches. She startles. They break you up.
Set designs by Gay Hawkins and Dibra and Kent Kildow catch the feel of 19th-century London. Choreography by Lee Ann Hittenberger is alive, always moving, graceful. Costume designs by Viveca Sanai appear faithful to period and definitely enhance characters.
And hats off to Teresa Thuman. Thuman’s directing adds drama to Dickens’ melodrama, subtlety to his characters and complexity to his morality. Her fine hand must be at work in any number of places.
This is fit family fare for the holidays.
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