Oliver! The Show that Left Me Wanting 'More'

This Article was written by our very own Oliver Twist: Archie Parkin, Year 7

Last year Kent College delivered yet another incredible production: Oliver!

Illustration by Nora Einarsdotter

Oliver Twist is based on a book written by Charles Dickens. Set in Victorian London, a young boy named Oliver was left as an orphan when his parents sadly died. Oliver runs away from a workhouse where he joins a pickpocket group run by an old man, Fagin, played by Christian Nathan. The story follows Oliver’s journey as a trainee pickpocket from rags to riches, meeting a range of characters such as the artful Dodger, Nancy and the gruesome Bill Sykes.

My experience with Oliver was fantastic. I was lucky enough to be cast as Oliver and even luckier to be acting alongside an incredible cast - Scarlet Bailey-Walker, as Dodger and Chelsey Bowler, as Nancy to name just a few.

Scroll through all these memories that were captured during the rehearsal stages (pre- Corona):

Now let's go all the way back to the beginning, my audition. Both nervous and excited to be trying out for one of the lead roles, I had to remember and sing the song ‘Where is Love’ which is Oliver’s main solo in the show. I was ecstatic to be given the part. Although I have been in every Kent College production since the school opened, this is the first time I have been given the main role. This was a big step, especially for someone with such small legs! Being one of the main characters in a school production is incredibly challenging. The rehearsal schedule was very demanding; Sundays, Thursdays and even some weekends were spent in the auditorium singing, dancing and acting, in addition to having to learn all of our lines which took a long time. I really enjoyed practising because it made me realise that learning dances and being a whole new person is actually fun.

To anyone who wants to be in the school production one day,

my advice would be to just do it. You have nothing to lose. Stepping onto the stage with hundreds of eyes watching you and then taking that final bow is when you realise that all the hard work and dedication was worth it.

Big shout out to Mrs. Kelley, Mrs. Berry, Mr & Mrs. Bourdillion and Mrs. Joyce- as well as the countless other members of staff, parents and students who devoted so much time and effort into making this into one of the best shows that Kent College has yet seen. CoVid-19 may be here this year, but I think that I speak for everyone that I cannot wait for the next show!