A BRAND-new production of Lionel Bart’s multi-award winning musical, Oliver! is to open at The Watermill.

The Bagnor theatre’s trademark actor-musicians will bring a new twist to Bart’s much-loved musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, with London’s murky Victorian underworld reimagined in the rural theatre’s atmospheric converted mill.

Oliver! tells the story of runaway orphan Oliver and the colourful characters he encounters following his escape from the workhouse.

The show’s memorable score includes Food Glorious Food, You’ve Got to Pick A Pocket Or Two, Consider Yourself and I’d Do Anything.

Since it premiered in 1960, Oliver! has repeatedly had sell-out revivals in the West End and Broadway and won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Musical Adaptation Score, when it was adapted for the big screen in 1968.

For the first time, the professional company will be joined by a supporting cast of 33 aspiring performers from The Watermill Youth Theatre and children from the local community, as part of the theatre’s ongoing outreach work dedicated to developing and nurturing emerging young talent.

Oliver! is directed by Luke Sheppard, and designed by Tom Rogers, with lighting design by Howard Hudson and musical supervision and arrangements by Paul Herbert, who as recipient of the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Award, was based at The Watermill last year.

Oliver! is adapted from William David Brohn’s Original Orchestrations and presented by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh and the Southbrook Group.

See Oliver! from Friday, July 31 – Saturday, September 19.

Tickets priced £17.50 - £30 are available from online at watermill.org.uk or from the box office on 01635 46044.