Please Sir, See Oliver!
A Review by Elaine Hunt
Staff Writer

This week Oliver! opened to a standing ovation at the Wells Fargo Pavilion’s Music Circus. Filled with pathos, adorable children, and a sprinkling of humor, this professional offering of Oliver! offers something for everyone. The time flew as the skilled cast wowed us with their talents. Oliver! is the second production offered in a jam-packed 2011 summer season at the Sacramento Music Circus. A “theater in the round,” Music Circus seats the audience around a stage in the middle. The stage is lower than all of the seats, allowing the audience to look down on the action. There’s not a bad seat in the house. Photo: Christopher Bones, Roland Rusinek, Karen Culliver and the Music Circus Junior Company in Oliver! at Music Circus, by Charr Crail

Since there’s no “back stage,” the cast members enter and exit the stage using the same aisles the audience uses. Several times the actors stood, walked and sang a scant foot or two from those of us sitting near the aisles. This style affords an intimacy and a sense of closeness to the action not experienced in a typical theater style. Those who have seen either the musical Oliver! or its dramatic inspiration, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, will be familiar with the plot. Young orphan Oliver Twist endures a harsh childhood in turn of the century London. Beginning in a bleak orphanage, he gets sold to a coffin maker. When treated cruelly again, he runs away only to fall in with a bunch of vagabond pick-pockets. While the original book is depressing and tragic, the musical finds and creates funny and light moments in an otherwise desolate story.

The play began with more than 30 children, varying in age, marching in from all four audience aisles. What a perfect way to engage us right from the beginning. As played by the Music Circus Junior Company, the children were a wonderful, welcome surprise. They did a stellar job singing, dancing and acting their way through the famous opening number, “Food, Glorious Food.” I’m sure I wasn’t alone in wanting to take them home with me and give them each a good, hot meal of something more appetizing than the “gruel” they were served in the orphanage. Photo: Christopher Bones and the Music Circus Junior Company in Oliver! at Music Circus, by Charr Crail

Thirteen year-old Christopher Bones played Oliver admirably. Bones had a fine voice and managed to endear himself to the audience without an ounce of cloying sentimentality. Fifteen year old Matthew Gumley played the Artful Dodger. At 15, Gumley is already a seasoned veteran. He played Chip on Broadway in “Beauty and the Beast” back in 2004. Gumley moves his body with easy grace like a young Dick Van Dyke. Like his younger co-star, Gumley never succumbed to an overly-sentimental performance. Both of the young actors delivered very professional, engaging characters. Photo: Matthew Gumley in Oliver! at Music Circus, by Charr Crail

Not to be outdone, the adults in the production rounded out the show with spot-on performances. Tragic, sweet Nancy, as played by Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, captivated the audience with her heart-wrenching rendition of “He Needs Me.” But Ron Wisniski, as the scoundrel thief Fagin, stole the audience’s heart. Wisniski played Fagin with humor and pathos. In spite of teaching orphan children to steal (and in turn stealing from them), he managed to make Fagin sympathetic. We were rooting for him. His wildly entertaining “Reviewing the Situation” was one of the shining moments of the night. Photo: Jacquelyn Piro Donovan in Oliver! at Music Circus, by Charr Crail

Between the enjoyable music, great performances, and compelling story, Oliver! offers a wonderfully entertaining evening. Unfortunately, each of the Music Circus productions only lasts a week. Don’t let the summer pass by without heading downtown to enjoy Oliver! or one of the other fine shows offered this season. Remaining 2011 Music Circus Schedule: “Anything Goes,” July 26 – 31; “Camelot,” August 2 – 7; “Annie Get your Gun” August 9 – 14; “I Do! I Do!” August 16 – 21; “Miss Saigon,” August 23 – 28. Music Circus, located at 1418 H Street in downtown Sacramento, is one of three venues within walking distance of each other offered by California Musical Theater. Go to http://www.californiamusicaltheatre.com to order tickets or for more information, call 916-557-1999. Photo: Christopher Bones, Matthew Gumley and the Music Circus Junior Company in Oliver! at Music Circus, by Charr Crail

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