Reviewing the Situation from Oliver! The Musical

Ronan Mooney performing Reviewing the Situation as Fagin in St Marys Musical Society's production of Oliver. Filmed by Joe Finnegan. Also starring Sinead Keane and Ian McClean

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[slessorpr]

The image/role of Fagin does tend to fall back on stereotypes of 19th Century London Jews of Charles Dicken's time. Dickens is hardly what one wd imagine to be a Jew hater, but despite the touches of pathos and brilliant script, I think the producers focussed on prejudicial stereotypes a little too much in the case of Fagin in 'Oliver'. I don't find Dicken's Fagin offensive, but some Jewish folks certainly might.

[robarireland]

@slessorpr Dickens' response to the criticism of Fagin being portrayed as a Jew was: "Fagin, in Oliver Twist, is a Jew, because it unfortunately was true of the time to which the story refers, that that class of criminal almost invariably was a Jew ... and secondly, that he is called 'the Jew' not because of his religion but because of his race."

[robarireland]

The accent is always tricky when it comes to Fagin. Yes I reviewed Ron Moody's & Alec Guinness' portrayal as a starting block but I tried to put my own stamp on it. I tried to find a balance between cockney & Jewish while also trying to portray that Fagin is old, has lived in unhealthy conditions most of his life. He also smoked & would have been living in smoggy, derelict London for many years. He is going to sound horse/gravely. But you do have try and balance it all. Which is very tricky!!!

[PuppetsNStuff]

I think the best Fagin I ever saw was an understudy in the Sam Mendes production. Throughout most of the play he played Fagin as a confident, charming, Cockney wheeler-dealer (a huge contrast to the snivelling, weak old man he usually is), but then as it got to this number and he was on his own he revealed himself to be this weak desperate Yiddish man. It worked so well as he got to do the comedy as well as the drama and when you saw how tired and fed up he was it resonated so well with the song

[robarireland]

I am loving this debate and I think everyone is so passionate about it because Fagin is an iconic musical character which can played in so many ways. I think I could play this character numerous times and always never completely satisfied with the end result. However here is what I do believe about the character: He is not a good guy in this he is a bad man, not a gentleman but a user of people, he is unhealthy & old but he is smart. He is also losing it. Thats what I tried to portray.

[mikehlebik]

they never should have cut the repriise of It's a fine life

[kittenlover437]

The impressons were so bad im really sorry. Both dogger, Bill, Oliver , Nancy , Fagen

[Princesscheeseyfeet]

corr this suckss, when i was in oliver my play was soo much better why has fagin got a white beard and i was a MUCH better dodger :)

[1967mustanggta]

you should see this undiscoverd kid on stage -

type in -

"Beamer on stage performance"

then look for "Gobblefish Soup"

He's 8 years old he is also a country singer / song writer as well as a good guitar player.

Here you see his talent on stage.

One of the best undiscovered talents on youtube.

[misslittleRoar]

@meameabea tryue

[Thelincolns1]

Dont think i could get use to this one!

[Princesscheeseyfeet]

@PuppetsNStuff haa lol i was the understudy for autfull doger !!!

[MistaVista1]

@PuppetsNStuff I quite agree. I'm about to do Fagin in a production of Oliver coming up next week; it was decided that we'd set it in WWII, which thus far has gone surprisingly well, given the initial anachronisms... it certainly allows us to interpet the characters afresh rather than imitate those who've done it before, like Moody. Fagin's character's been changed to that of a WW2 spiv, and the orphans to evacuees, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes on the night.

[slessorpr]

@robarireland TY roba, it's good to see someone so enjoying the brilliant wealth of theatre made available on YT. I've just favourited a German/English stage production of William S. Burrough's 'The Black Rider' with music by Tom Waits. It is a flawed recording from 1993 or 4 but is an eye opener 4 those unfamiliar with European theatre or Burroughs ideas abt the world, good and bad and other weighty issues. Waits soundtrack is superb and suited perfectly to the themes of 'The Black Rider'