Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
#1Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 5/25/10 at 5:14am
On the 30th of June 2010 a special celebration performance will take place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to celebrate the 50th year of Lionel Bart's 'Oliver!'.
The original London production opened at the New London (now the Noel Coward) on Thursday 30th June 1960.
The critics went crazy for the musical and it sold out for nearly 4 years solid and ran for 2618 performances. It was to return to that same theatre in 1977 and run yet another 3 years and on this occasion was produced by new man on the block, Cameron Macintosh.
All these productions were faithful to the original 1960 presentation. It was last seen at the Aldwych in 1983 for a limited Christmas run.
Cameron produced a totally different production, the first major production to steer away from the original design and direction, at the London Palladium in 1994 and it ran for nearly 4 years!
The production had additional music and lyrics by Lionel Bart.
It was directed by new comer Sam Mendes and starred Jonathan Pryce as Fagin, Sally Dexter as Nancy, James Villiers as Mr Brownlow and Miles Anderson as Bill Sikes.
The show was a huge, lavish affair, with brand new designs by Anthony Ward bringing a cinematic feel to the show.
This production featured a brand new prologue and incorporated a lot of the dialogue from both the original 1968 film and Dickens' novel.
Fagin was to be played later during the run by George Layton, Russ Abbot, Jim Dale and Robert Lindsay (who won an Olivier Award for his performance). Nancy by Ruthie Henshall and Sonia Swaby.
This Palladium production now sits at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Original cast members back in 1960 were Ron Moody as Fagin, Georgia Brown as Nancy, and Barry Humphries as Mr. Sowerberry.
Michael Caine got down to the last 3 auditioning for Bill Sykes!
The show was given a 3 week pre London run at Wimbledon in January 1960, were a lot of work had to be done on the show before it was sent to London because word of mouth was not good.
Russ Abbot returns to the current production in time for the 50 year celebrations.
#2Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 5/27/10 at 10:14am
Mama I have looked everywhere to see what is going on for 30 June show - have you heard what (if anything) will be happening on the night. I have booked seats to see it for that night and was hoping for something special. I saw it at the London Palladium so many times, and wanted to catch it again especially as Russ Abbott is back. I am sure he was one of the Fagin's from the last revival? I am sure I saw Jim Dale, Barry Humphrys, and Russ Abbott in the role back then.
One of my favourite musicals as it was one of the first I saw together with Mama (in film form).
Thank you
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
#2Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 5/27/10 at 12:38pmAs of yet no, cant imagine it will be too long before they start saying what they may do?!?
#3Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 5/28/10 at 4:46amMam, thank you for taking the time to reply. I will look forward to hearing what may happen.
#4Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 5/28/10 at 7:02pmThey're not having a celebrity concert at the o2? I'm disappointed!
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
#5Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/23/10 at 5:33am
The performer most see as the the perfect and original Fagin returns to the stage for one night only as part of the shows 50th birthday celebrations!
Ron Moody takes to the stage on 30th JUne at Drury Lane.
Updated On: 6/23/10 at 05:33 AM
#7Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/23/10 at 8:13amHurry and get your tickets, just been confirmed that Oliver will indeed close on 8th January 2011, the consistant rumour to come in, is Shrek.
#8Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/23/10 at 9:49amShrek apparently followed by Miss Saigon...
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
#9Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/24/10 at 5:14am
Mr Moody is not performing the entire show on June 30th..
He is joining in a specially staged version of 'Reviewing The Situation' at the end of the evening.
Beergoggles
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/05
#10Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/24/10 at 7:58amLOVE Ron Moody but very gutted he's not doing the whole show. I'd have paid anything for that! Good news about Miss Saigon... infact i'm positively eeeeeeeking with excitement :p x
Jesus Loves You... Everybody else thinks you're an idiot!
#11Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/24/10 at 2:09pmIf Miss Saigon is already due to open, why would the Shrek producers agree on a maximum 1 year deal for Drury Lane? Surely they would be hoping for a longer run than that (this is if the 2012 Miss Saigon rumours are true).
Beergoggles
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/05
#12Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 6/25/10 at 4:43amPlease let the 2012 rumours be true. Please let the 2012 rumours be true... i for one am very excited about Miss Saigon and if it's not true then i demand that the BWW posters put on a gala performance for me. It's been away too long lol x
Jesus Loves You... Everybody else thinks you're an idiot!
#13Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 7/1/10 at 12:49pm
Saw the 50th anniversay performance last night.
Nothing obviously mentioned before the performance but at the curtain call Ron Moody was brought onto the stage to a long and heart felt standing ovation. They lowered a lovely large picture of Lional Bart, and brought on a lecturn for Mr Moody to use.
He seemed very forgetful, and kept losing his place in his speech. Not sure if this was genuine or shows a deeper issue. He was very funny and gave a few insights into how the show came about, along with a few risque Limmericks!! He was most suprised (as was I) that Cameron Mackintosh was not at the Theatre. The speech went on for quite some time but was very entertaining.
He then performed, along with the children "You've Gotta Pick a Pocket or Two" - He sounded really good for an 85+ year old! He did some verses himself and shared a couple of verses with Russ Abbott, and in a shower of streamers and confetti he left the stage.
First time I have seen this production. Not sure of Kerry Ellis was ill but she was not IMO on top form. It may have been the sound as The Artful Dodger and Oliver were very hard to hear at some stages.
Overall a great night and I loved the show - but I am biased!!! Bill Sykes was REALLY good! That voice.....anyway, it was great.
#14Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:42pmI'm very surprised that Cameron wasn't there. Is he too busy with the Les Miz celebrations?
#15Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:48pmHe was too busy counting his money. LOL
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
#16Oom Pah Pah To 50 Glorious Years
Posted: 7/2/10 at 5:47am
He spends so much blah blah blahing about how 'Oliver!' is so important him and how it started his career blah blah blah and then he doesn't even turn up at the shows big 50th! Sounds like the 'celebrations' were rather tame.
