★★★½

“Lipkin’s Olivier nominated Fagin steals the show with wit, warmth and humanity”

Cameron Mackintosh’s West End revival of Lionel Bart’s Tony and Oscar winning ‘Oliver!’ enters its second year, brimming with crowd pleasing charm. Though the emotional development could be sharper, the stunning score and cast will have you reviewing the situation.

Unlucky orphan Oliver is ousted from the workhouse after unwittingly sparking revolt. Forced to flee to London, he falls in with Fagin’s child gang, the violent Bill Sikes and his abused partner Nancy. Horrified by his new “trade”, Oliver ends up in the dock – until unexpected kindness changes everything.

Dickens’ ‘Oliver Twist’ is a pointed critique of hypocritical Victorian ‘welfare’, which Bart’s classic book smooths out and Mackintosh’s revisions soften further. Fagin’s much more sympathetic take smartly dodges harmful stereotypes, though the chummy fourth wall humour leaves his arc feeling a touch undercooked. Though Dickens’ characters are broad by design, it’s a shame this revival doesn’t dig into the grit and nuance a bit more. Act 2 also loses focus, with back to back songs and a busy climax leaving the ending underpowered. Still, the script strikes a confident balance between humour and darkness.

Bart’s Tony winning score and William David Brohn’s orchestrations get a fresh lift from Stephen Metcalfe, with music supervision by Graham Hurman. This classic score sparkles, from rousing chorus numbers and snappy comedy songs to heart-rending solos. It deftly foreshadows key moments and gives each character a unique musical identity. Though the reprise of ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ feels more echo than progression, overall the orchestrations are spot on – the banjo-led ‘I’d Do Anything’ is particularly charming.

Dance icon Matthew Bourne’s direction, with co director Jean Pierre van der Spuy, delivers striking visuals with beautiful video, slick turntable transitions and a shifting set that creates expansive and claustrophobic moments. The emotional arcs don’t always land, though, feeling a little thin and needing more tension in places. Some beats feel rushed, like Oliver’s reunion with Brownlow, and both act finales could hit harder, especially Act 2 where Fagin’s misfortune gets buried in the bustle. That said, Bourne’s strength as a choreographer really shines through. Each scene is expertly judged, some bursting with energy and others striking for their stillness. The big chorus numbers are sharp and modern, contrasting beautifully with the flowing grace of ‘Who Will Buy?’.

Lez Brotherston’s design is deliciously moody, perfectly capturing Victorian London’s smog-choked streets. Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs’ lighting conjures bleak beauty, occasionally shot through with bursts of warmth or colour. Adam Fisher’s sound, with associate Ollie Durrant, is finely balanced, cleverly summoning Bill Sikes’ dog. George Reeve’s projections set the tone with shockingly blood red titles and ghostly hints of St Paul’s in the haze.

Simon Lipkin’s Olivier nominated Fagin steals the show with wit, warmth and humanity. Ava Brennan’s Nancy is magnetic, mastering outward poise and inner conflict, while Aaron Sidwell’s Bill Sikes brings a chilling, naturalistic menace. Tonight’s Oliver, Isaac Hackett, pairs wide eyed innocence with beautifully pure vocals. Aaron MacGregor’s Artful Dodger deftly combines street smart swagger with just enough vulnerability to remind us he’s still just a kid.

This may not be the boldest or most emotionally charged take, but Mackintosh’s revival of ‘Oliver!’ still delivers plenty of entertainment. Catch this superb cast while you can.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS at the Watermill Theatre

★★★★★

“The nuances of the characters are beautifully executed, particularly up close on the small stage.”

‘When Mr Bilbo Baggins announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement’. And so opens J. R. R. Tolkien’s monumental “The Lord of the Rings”; one of the best-selling books ever written. Since my early teens, I’m not sure I have met anybody who hasn’t read it. The Sunday Times once stated that “the English-speaking world is divided into those who have read ‘Lord of the Rings’ and those who are going to read it”. Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films echoes the epic scale of fantasy and adventure. How, then, can the story translate to a two-hundred-seater theatre in the Berkshire countryside? A good question, and one that becomes swiftly answered as we wander through the Shire, under an open sky, into Bilbo’s much anticipated birthday party. Woodsmoke drifts from the gardens of the old mill down to the stream, with the scent of Hog roast floating among the jugglers and minstrels, while Hobbits mingle with ‘the Big Folk’. As the party reaches its end, we are ushered inside where the adventure begins. A very big adventure in a pretty small space, but The Watermill Theatre have concocted a production in which each element of the stagecraft would put the most hallowed wizard to shame.

It is telling that this adaptation by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus (with music by A. R. Rahman, Värttinä and Christopher Nightingale) is referred to as a ‘musical tale’ rather than a musical. Shunning convention it avoids formulaic showtunes. Instead, the soundtrack follows the pulse of the emotions rather than the narrative; the underscoring seamlessly merging into song. Impressively performed by the actor-musician cast and ensemble, Mark Aspinall’s orchestrations ranges from folk to bar-room jigs, through to bombastic percussion-driven anthems, back again to the mysticism of the Celtic harp, whistles, fiddles and gorgeous voices.

“Each member of the cast deserves mention, and each could threaten to steal the show”

Frodo, who has inherited the One Ring from his cousin at the birthday party has to undertake the quest to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Louis Maskell carries the role with an instinctive ease that belies the demands of the emotional journey required. Nuwan Hugh Perera, as his companion Sam, is an unexpected voice of reason, merging light relief with solid support for his fellow hobbits. Across the board, the portrayal of the characters is natural, and paradoxically believable in all their other-worldly implausibility. Peter Marinker’s Gandalf has the wizened wisdom that keeps his power in check. Both Georgia Louise, as the Royal Elf Galadriel, and Aoife O’Dea as Arwen, enchant us with their performances and musicality. Each member of the cast deserves mention, and each could threaten to steal the show. The largest threat being Matthew Bugg’s Gollum, who weaves his way into the second act: feral, feline and fluid. Bugg moves as though underwater, defying gravity as easily as abusing the hobbits’ trust.

The nuances of the characters are beautifully executed, particularly up close on the small stage. But remarkably, when required, the epic proportions magically come into full force. Paul Hart’s staging is phenomenal. Simon Kenny’s ingenious design utilises every nook and cranny of the playing space. With the stunning combination of Adam Fisher’s sound, Rory Beaton’s lighting, George Reeve’s projections, Charlie Tymms’ puppetry and Anjali Mehra’s choreography (to name a few of the key creatives), the effect is that of a sweeping panorama. Only later, in retrospect, does one wonder how it is achieved.

“The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale” is little short of a miracle. As we are led back outside, back to the Shire, darkness has fallen. We bid farewell to Frodo. Emotions are running high. Our senses have been caught in the storm of a spectacle, but we have still heard the intimate sounds of extraordinary theatre making. Most people who have read Tolkien’s high-fantasy novel would agree that they could read it again. Everyone, I’d like to think, who sees this adaptation at The Watermill will agree that they could see it again. And again.

Tag Archives: Aaron Sidwell

OLIVER!

★★★½

Gielgud Theatre

OLIVER!

Gielgud Theatre

★★★½

“Lipkin’s Olivier nominated Fagin steals the show with wit, warmth and humanity”

OLIVER!

Gielgud Theatre

Reviewed at Gala Evening on 14th April 2026

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Johan Persson

OLIVER!

OLIVER!

OLIVER!

The Lord of the Rings

★★★★★

Watermill Theatre

THE LORD OF THE RINGS at the Watermill Theatre

★★★★★

“The nuances of the characters are beautifully executed, particularly up close on the small stage.”

“Each member of the cast deserves mention, and each could threaten to steal the show”