Page 26 THE VILLADOM TIMES III & IV • December 11, 2013 Dickens with music works its charms at playhouse by Dennis Seulinhg “Oliver!” -- the current production at Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse -- is the musical adaptation of Charles Dick- ens’ 1837 serialized novel, “Oliver Twist.” Though the orig- inal tale was a dark look at the underbelly of London with its crime, workhouses, and poverty, writer Lionel Bart has taken off some of the edge with a bright, spirited musical version that focuses on the plight of young orphan Oliver (Tyler Moran) at the hands of those who would exploit him any way possible. He is first seen at a workhouse, a dank, depressing place in which a group of raggle taggle orphan boys must labor for their meager meals of gruel. When hungry Oliver inno- cently says, “Please, sir, I want some more,” he is marked as a troublemaker by Mr. Bumble (John Treacy Egan) and Widow Corney (Jessica Sheridan), the rigidly disciplinar- ian, self-indulgent overseers of the establishment. Bumble sells Oliver to an undertaker and his wife, who intend to have him accompany the casket at children’s funerals, but he escapes and soon comes into contact with the Artful Dodger (Ethan Haberfield), a lad a few years his senior who brings him to Fagin (David Garrison), who trains a group of boys in the art of thievery. If the plot promises to be depressing, it is lightened by the music, which is wonderful. “Oliver!” made its Broad- way debut in 1963, during a golden period of musicals, and The Artful Dodger (Ethan Haberfield, right) welcomes Oliver (Tyler Moran) to a world of crime in a scene from ‘Oliver!’ the songs are peppy, funny, sad, or reflective, as required. A common complaint about recent musicals is that the music is forgettable. This is not the case with “Oliver!” Some of the songs are familiar, but even the less popular tunes sparkle. The best known song in the score is “As Long As He Needs Me,” a plaintive cry of desperation sung by Nancy (Betsy Morgan) about her brutal boyfriend, Bill Sikes (Jose Llana). Both Nancy and Sikes are part of Fagin’s nest of thieves and outcasts, and Sikes is feared by all. Morgan is outstanding as the boisterous, rough-hewn Nancy, a woman who forges on doing what it takes to survive. Her deliv- ery is big and robust, though she manages to infuse her big ballad with unrequited longing. Her other numbers, the bawdy “A Fine Life” and “Oom-Pah-Pah,” are performed with a chorus of carousers and showcase Nancy as tough woman who enjoys a good song and a tankard of ale. The two young leads really give this production its heart and charm. Both Moran and Haberfield are true stage pro- fessionals despite their youth and do a great job of selling their characters and their musical numbers. Moran’s floppy mop of blonde hair frames a baby face with rosy cheeks, giving him the appearance of a period engraving. In the ballad “Where Is Love?” Oliver longs for the affection that should be every child’s birthright, and Moran convinces as a child with no family, no home, and no one to care about him. In “Who Will Buy?” he peers from the balcony of the home of the kindly Mr. Brownlow (David Hess), who rescued him from the dangers of the streets, and joins the trades people plying the street below in a rousing anthem of optimism. Moran has a strong voice with a trace of sadness that fits the character perfectly. Tenafly’s Ethan Haberfield brightens the play as Dodger, a Cockney hooligan who fancies himself quite the gentle- man and is one of Fagin’s best young thieves. Haberfield has mastered the Cockney accent admirably with all those dropped H’s and glottal stops. With smudged face, ani- mated movements, and perky demeanor, he is a veritable dynamo on stage as he introduces Oliver to the world of riffraff. In his big number, “Consider Yourself,” he delivers an irresistible invitation to Oliver into that life and is joined by Moran and the ensemble in a rousing production. (continued on Crossword page)