St Edmund’s Canterbury – A musical sensation

05 Mar 2018

“Oliver!”, one of the most beloved British musicals, came to the stage in Canterbury in December.  St Edmund’s School proudly presented this show for all the family, vividly bringing to life Dickens’ timeless characters with its ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.

Always pursuing innovation the directors put a new spin on the look and feel of this production and were inspired by the dark works of Tim Burton.  The design and style of this Oliver were simply stunning and took St Edmund’s theatrical productions to new heights.

“Oliver!” is, of course, a musical and so the treats kept coming thick and fast: solos interspersed with some outstanding cast numbers.  The early morning street sellers who open “Who will buy?” were particularly strong but there were many memorable performances, not least Nancy’s demanding “As long as he needs me” and Fagin’s “Reviewing the situation”.  Full company numbers presented an opportunity to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the school’s talent and we were not disappointed with the sensational singing and choreography.  This production will stay in the audiences’ memory for many years to come.

St Edmund’s School has an enviable reputation for the highest standard of drama where its critically acclaimed productions such as Animal Farm, Twelfth Night and Cinderella have brought West End style theatre to Canterbury.  Directed, choreographed and produced by theatre professionals including former RADA teacher, Howard Sykes, audiences are always in for a treat when they see a show at St Edmund’s.