I’M not really sure how to describe Olivia.
It is billed as a play with music, set in Victorian England it traces the steps of Olivia (based on Oliver Twist), a downtrodden orphan who rises to fame in a G&S production and is reunited with her mum, a flower seller who works with Eliza Doolittle after Sherlock Holmes is commissioned to help.
Confused? Surprisingly this journey through literary history works as a story and is accompanied by a simple score in the style of some of the great musicals of today.
Olivia (Abi Flynn) had a promising voice and the innocent demeanour required for the role, supported by the tuneful, focused ensemble girls. Eliza (Jan Miller), Fagin (Patric Howe) and Holmes (Mike Rich) all stood out for their recognisable characterisations.
It would have been nice if the cast had live music but you couldn’t criticise the entertainment value.
Olivia, SADS and Dramarama, Swanmore Village Hall.
REBECCA WELSH
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