Oliver!, Gielgud Theatre – You really couldn’t ask for more.
Jack Philpott and Simon Lipkin in Oliver! Image by Johan Persson.
⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ - 95% • 5 minutes 7 seconds read time
Cameron Mackintosh reviving Oliver! is a bold move. His 1994/95 production at the Palladium set the gold standard for the show - a grand, polished spectacle that became the version in many people’s minds. He revived it again in 2009 to huge critical acclaim and launched the career of Jodie Prenger. So bringing it back in 2024 was always going to be a risk. Can you find fresh creative choices and a bold new vision? Can you be bang on the money three times in a row? The answer to it all is a resounding yes. Under the direction of Matthew Bourne, this Oliver! isn’t just a revival; it’s a reinvention. Every moment is meticulously crafted, and updated for today - breathing new life into Lionel Bart’s classic while keeping its heart intact.
Lez Brotherston’s set design is breathtaking. You could see the show 15 times and still find something new to notice within it - it is rich with detail and doesn’t just serve as a backdrop but plays an active role in the storytelling. The centrepiece of the staging is a revolving stage, which allows scenes to shift and evolve before your eyes. One moment, you’re in the damp, oppressive workhouse, or the dingy confines of the funeral parlour. The next moment the set pieces spin and transform seamlessly, placing you in the bustling streets of London. Fagin’s hideout, a colourful and creative den of stolen treasures and makeshift furniture, emerges organically from the streets as if hidden just out of sight in the city’s shadows. And then, in an instant, it morphs into the foreboding lair of Bill Sikes, the shift happening so smoothly that you barely register the transition - it just happens, pulling you deeper into the world of the story.
This fluidity means the production never loses momentum. There’s a cinematic quality to how the locations shift - no blackouts, no pauses, just an ever-moving city that changes as the characters do. It makes their London feel alive, a world of hidden corners and unexpected turns, mirroring Oliver’s journey through it. The movement of the set isn’t just technical wizardry; it’s a masterstroke in transporting the audience completely.
Matthew Bourne’s direction and choreography take this Oliver! to a new level. Every musical number is charged with energy - and they’re so much fun. It’s hard to imagine any audience member could see them and not have a small part of them wish they too could be in Fagin’s gang. Consider Yourself is a joyous explosion of movement, the entire company weaving in and out of each other as market stalls appear, traders exchange goods, and Dodger welcomes Oliver to his new life. Who Will Buy? is stunning - it starts gently, a moment to breathe. Then Bourne turns it into a sweeping, almost balletic sequence, with flower-sellers and milkmaids spinning gracefully through the marketplace, mirroring Oliver’s wide-eyed wonder. But even outside of the big numbers, there’s an attention to detail in how the characters interact, the way a look or a movement tells us more than words ever could.
Shanay Holmes is an outstanding Nancy. She delivers powerhouse vocals, making As Long As He Needs Me one of the most emotionally devastating moments of the show. She holds the audience in her hand, a pin could be heard dropping outside in the silence she creates, only to be immediately drowned out by rapturous applause. But what makes her Nancy stand out is her hopefulness. She isn’t just resigned to her fate; there’s a sense that she still believes in the possibility of something better. Her warmth towards Oliver is genuine, her chemistry with Bill Sikes (played with terrifying intensity by Aaron Sidwell) is electric, and when she laughs and dances in It’s a Fine Life, you can see a woman not desperately seeking good, but one who believes in the good in her world. Her performance makes Nancy’s story hit even harder - it’s impossible not to root for her, which makes her final moments utterly heartbreaking.
Oscar Conlon-Morrey as Mr Bumble is a real standout. Mr Bumble can be a role that’s a little looked over - there just to move the story along but not one people go home talking about. But not this Bumble. Oscar turns Bumble into something hilariously memorable and terrifyingly imposing, he walks a very fine line between the two without making him feel like a pantomime character. His comedic instincts are razor-sharp - every pause, every exaggerated sigh, every knowing glance at the audience is perfectly timed. But beyond the laughs, he also delivers a delightfully strong vocal performance. Boy for Sale is rich and compelling, his deep, smooth voice easily filling each corner of the room.
The young company is superb. Every single child brings an infectious energy, making the big ensemble numbers feel natural rather than overly rehearsed. Jack Philpott is an ideal Oliver - his voice is pure and emotive, delivering a haunting Where is Love?, but he also brings a fierce resilience to the role. In the wrong hands, Oliver can feel passive, a character things happen to, but Jack makes him feel active, always searching, always seeing the world around him.
But the standout in a cast full of stars is Simon Lipkin as Fagin. His performance is masterful. Carefully considered perfection. The character has always carried the weight of Dickens’ antisemitic writing, and to now not many productions have had the inclination to do anything to balance it. But here, the creative team and Lipkin have done something truly special - Fagin’s Jewishness isn’t something to be ridiculed; it’s something that is simply part of him. Instead of the oversized, slightly cartoonish hat, he wears a yarmulke. His speech and mannerisms feel authentic rather than exaggerated. This is a Fagin who is clever, charismatic, and complex - someone who has survived through wit and trickery but who is also deeply human.
Lipkin is naturally funny, delivering every one of Fagin’s lines with a sharp wit and an undeniable warmth. His Reviewing the Situation is a masterclass in comedy, filled with clever little improvisations, but also kind of devastating. It’s a special kind of actor that can pull at your heartstrings at the same time as delivering physical and verbal comedy. The thing, though, that makes his Fagin so exciting to watch, and so hard to look away from, is a unique addition. Lipkin is a member of the Magic Circle, and he brings real sleight-of-hand to the role. Coins appear from thin air, pocket handkerchiefs disappear right in front of you, and scarves seem to pass entirely through people, all of it adding up to a Fagin who really feels like a master at his craft. It’s an ingenious touch that adds even more depth to a character already bursting with personality.
This Oliver! is the rare kind of revival that feels both timeless and brand new. It honours the show’s legacy while making smart, thoughtful choices that enhance every aspect of it. The staging and set design make Victorian London feel like it’s right outside, the choreography is dynamic and exhilarating, and the performances from leads to the ensemble are pitch-perfect.
It’s the kind of production that taps into the joy that exists within our inner child. You really couldn’t ask for more, but as the final applause fades, you can’t help but wish you could.
Oliver! is playing at the Gielgud Theatre and is now booking until March 2026. Tickets here!