Bathurst's Carillon Theatrical Society to present Oliver! at Keystone 1889

A classic musical based on the famous Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, Oliver! tells the story of the title character as he navigates an unforgiving world of child labour, street crime and domestic violence to find his home.

Oliver! was last performed by CTS in 2001, and the upcoming production will see the society return to their spiritual home at Keystone 1889, formerly The Carrington, with opening night slated for Thursday, July 28.

Penny Williams, who is co-directing Oliver! with John Vickery, said the production will showcase a vast variety of talent across the community.

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"Much of the main cast have never been in a major role before, and some have never even stepped on stage for a CTS show," Ms Williams said.

"There's been a few hurdles we've had to cross, such as cast members getting ill, but rehearsals have been fantastic, and I know much of the cast are excited to perform for the community."

Emma Lindsay and Finn Hubba will share the title role of Oliver, with Brett Van Heekeren to portray Fagin, Raphael Pearce and Caitlin Morris to share The Artful Dodger, Emily Hayes and Holly Hare to share Nancy, Michael Lindsay to play Bill Sykes and Patrick Sinclair to play Mr Bumble.

Ms Williams said the production will be bolstered by a strong child cast, which generally translates into increased ticket sales with families always eager to see their children perform.

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"We wanted to make sure our first show back after three years would resonate with family groups," she said.

"While Oliver! does have quite mature themes, the songs are very familiar and there's a wide range of ages within the cast to attract a large cross-section of the community."

Ms Williams said the return to Keystone 1889, which was necessary due to the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre's busy schedule, will give the production a more authentic feel, given Oliver's setting in Victorian-era London.

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"The architecture of Keystone lends itself to the era Oliver! is set in, and with the recent stage upgrades, there's no doubt the production will be of a high standard," she said.

"It [the move to Keystone] has also given us more time to rehearse, which will only enhance the quality of the show."

Oliver! will be performed at Keystone 1889 on July 28 [6pm], 29 [6pm], 30 [12pm and 6pm], 31 [12pm] and August 4 [6pm], 5 [6pm], 6 [12pm and 6pm] and 7 [12pm].

To purchase tickets, visit www.keystone1889.com.

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