Not Your Grandma’s Oliver

Reported By: Evania Garlinghouse

Photographed By: Kelly North

         George Fox University’s (GFU) Theatre Program is presenting “Oliver!” this fall, a musical based on the Charles Dickens novel “Oliver Twist.” It follows a young orphan boy, Oliver, through life in the workhouse and then on the streets. He meets several interesting characters along the way and has riveting adventures. 

         The audience explores the streets of London with Oliver, learning about what life was like for the everyday person in the Victorian era. The show has many tragic elements in it, such as homelessness and domestic abuse. But overall, the show is full of life. It has moments of lightheartedness, humor, and a message of hope.

         Ben Tissell, the new director, is a GFU alum, professional actor, director, and musician. Tissell has been directing ever since he was a child, when he would orchestrate plays in his backyard. He loves the imagination that theater draws on, the same kind of imagination that he used when he played in his backyard as a kid. There's a lot of that child-like spirit in “Oliver!”

         The setting of this story starts in a Victorian Music Hall. Music halls were run by actors, and they became very popular. The sets are simple and so are the props and costumes, leaving a lot up to the audience's imagination. In these settings, common household objects could, with a bit of imagination, become entirely different things. A mop could become a scepter, a chair leg could become a cudgel. 

        This version of the play is very creative–it's a new twist on the original story. "It's not your grandma's ‘Oliver!’" said Tissel. “Oliver!” is a period piece, but it still holds relevance today. The vision is to present a timeless story in a bright, new way and to have fun while doing it. The pleasure that the actors and director have in telling the story is contagious, grabbing the audience by the hand and bringing them along. Tissell said the play also "brings a message of resilience and hope. That no person or situation is ever too far for things to turn around." 

         The audience is led through many dark moments in Oliver’s life, and in that of the other characters. But even through that darkness, Oliver is able to find moments of love and positivity. It’s a beautiful story about finding light in the darkest places.  
         Find more information about tickets here.