REVIEWED BY ANNA RYLEY
EDITED BY CHARLOTTE FRASER
In student theatre, it’s a good mark when you feel totally unconcerned with the possibly of awkward scenes or halted dialogue as an audience member. This was certainly the case with Newman Theatre Association’s stellar production of Oliver!, with the student theatre group going from strength to strength in their growing capabilities to stage spectacular mainstage musicals, following the success of High School Musical 2 last year.
Directed by the ever-capable Poppy Elfick, the production used the space effectively, save a few confusing blocking choices, using physicality to effectively communicate character choices and relationships. The narrative arc of Oliver’s journey from workhouse to pickpocket to eventually finding a home for himself was told with compassion, foregrounding bravery and persistent resilience in Newman’s retelling of the classic Dickensian tale. The vision behind the production was sincere, with every single member of the company visibly having fun on stage with their castmates. Aside from a few anachronisms, like a plastic chair centre stage and some unconvincingly period-appropriate McDonalds pants, the production transports you back to a strangely nostalgic 1800s London, with an interesting set design and beautifully detailed backdrop.
The cast was filled to the brim with talented performers led by Steph Reynolds as the titular Oliver, who carried the show with their energised portrayal of the young orphan navigating the underbelly of a seedy city. An unexpected joy within the production was Oliver’s dealings with the antagonistic, sexually effervescent Mr Bumble, portrayed as a witty caricature by the riotously funny Luca Maher; the characterisation was a true highlight of the opening scenes, with Maher’s smarm and snark by the bucket load. Oliver’s new-found companion, the Artful Dodger, played by the excellent Hannah Campbell, was a true powerhouse with captivating vocals and a contagious energy filling every box step. Campbell’s role as leader of the ensemble across multiple songs was charismatic, whilst remaining uncompromisingly empathetic in the depiction of the character’s blind betrayal of their friend.
The show had a large amount of choreography, with incredibly cohesive ensemble numbers at the centre of the show’s narrative progression, thanks to the work of choreographers Isabelle Cooke and Emily Barber. Every single member of the cast looked thrilled to be performing, no doubt because of the fun and silly dance numbers that truly captured the essence of the catchy tunes. Standouts in the particularly large ensemble were Matilda McCullagh and Samara Zhang, who were consistently engaged and reactive, drawing the audience into scenes and adding heart to an already joyous show.
The tap epidemic in student theatre is one that needs to be studied. In Newman’s Oliver!, we see not one, not two, but four tappers competently performing in synchronicity – a truly impressive feat. Strong performers across all dance numbers were Emily Barber, also playing Nancy’s sidekick Bet, and Emma Guthrie as Charlie, who was captivating each time she entered the stage, including a skilful violin solo in Act 2.
Luke Higgins played the malicious Bill Sikes with an appropriate level of rage, charismatically psychotic in each interaction with Nancy, played by the excellent Chelsea Ray. Ray’s vocals were great, with a strong characterisation and a reassuring, grounding stage presence in each scene. Zak Wan Ulok’s Fagan was the perfect image of a dubious fatherly rascal, who handled the song ‘Reviewing the Situation’ well, despite the pauses and obnoxiously complicated time signatures of the piece.
The live music accompanying the action was fantastic with the competent brass section showcased on stage, potentially for the pit being too small to accommodate for the large array of musical performers in the band. Considering their visible feature, it would have been interesting to have more of an interaction between the cast and the band, and letting their staging as part of the permanent onstage pub setting become diagetic. Overall, the band, led by Dylan Forge and Assistant Music Director Georgia McCardel, was considerably competent, capturing the essence of big band musicals of the era, imbued with just the right amount of ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’.
The audio mix was questionable at times, often struggling to hear main characters over the top of the band. However, the chorus vocals were always full and resonant, in part thanks to the vocal direction by Ella Murray and sound designer Remy Clarke. The standout vocal moment of the show was ‘Who Will Buy’, with the most beautiful harmonies anchored by Zoe Walter in Newman’s hauntingly beautiful rendition. Another stand out vocal was from Penny Lopez, playing Mrs Bedwin, with the ‘Where is Love Reprise’ in Act 2, with clarity and an exquisite tone.
All costumes were historically transportive and evocative of another era, many artfully constructed by the brilliant Adelina Memeti. Scene changes were clean and effective, managed by stage manager Josh O’Brien, and I particularly appreciated the lack of clunky transitions, pauses or blackouts. The lighting design by Ellie Jones (wearing multiple hats as somehow also producer and production manager) was incredibly effective and established the changing settings across the production well, notably contributing to the rising tension during the climax of the show, with the addition of a well-crafted lightning effect adding to the dramatics of the scene.
Aside from obviously difficult themes of domestic violence towards women and children which are unfortunately still relevant (handled sensitively and tastefully in this production), Oliver! may just be the perfect college musical, with a variety of roles for a large cast, showcasing talent for those playing characters both big and small. Newman Theatre Association nailed the balance of serious play that is crucial to student theatre as an experimental playground for young theatre makers to cut their teeth, and it’s incredibly exciting to see the continued growth of Newman’s production – I for one consider myself very lucky to have witnessed this excellent production!
Oliver! was presented by the Newman Theatre Association at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne from 30July – 1 August 2026
ANNA RYLEY is a Third Year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in English and Theatre Studies. When she’s not producing, directing or stage managing, you can find her taking incriminating photos of her friends, or trying to get closer to her goal of reading 52 books in one year.
CHARLOTTE FRASER (she/her) is a writer, performer and student editor based in Melbourne. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies and is currently completing her Masters degree at the University of Melbourne. Charlotte is also the 2026 Dialog Editor.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre
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