The Parish Boy’s Progress, From Book to Film to Musical
With a new production of ‘Oliver!’ at Chichester Festival Theatre, this talk will trace the history of the many adaptations of the story, from Dickens’s novel to stage and film versions, dramas and musicals.
It is over 185 years since the novel was serialised; since then there have been countless films and television series. This talk by Education Team member Andrew Vance, illustrated with a range of clips, will look at the films from the 1909 Vitograph Studios version up to Roman Polanski’s 2005 film, including David Lean’s famous adaptation with Sir Alec Guinness. Other famous actors who have played Fagin include Lon Chaney, George C Scott, Richard Dreyfuss and Ben Kingsley. It will explore the ways in which depictions of Fagin have changed from Dickens’s original characterisation, including the persistent accusations of antisemitism. Lionel Bart cast Ron Moody, a comic actor, as Fagin in his musical, who then went on to play the role in the Oscar winning film directed by Carol Reed. We can look forward to a new adaptation of ‘Oliver!’, directed by Matthew Bourne, at the Chichester Festival Theatre this summer.
100m (inc 10m Q&A)
Sat 27 Jul 10:30
In the Auditorium
Tickets £7.50
