'Unexpected Twist'
Cleverly reimagined for a modern audience, this vibrant retelling of the much-loved classic Oliver Twist has it all: a hugely talented cast, a poignantly relevant storyline and a powerful original musical score.
Venue: Rose Theatre. Get directions.
Our verdict
Set in modern-day Britain, teenager Shona (played by rising star Drew Hylton) lives with her single dad and relies on benefits to survive. When they’re forced to move and she starts at yet another new school, Shona falls in with the wrong crowd who entices her into a life of organised crime, lured by the promise of a new mobile phone.
While studying Oliver Twist at school, Shona begins to see the parallels between herself and its titular character. In an eerie yet effective technique, several of the characters are mirrored on stage by their 19th-century counterparts, who emerge out of the shadows and speak in tandem with them - a cleverly executed throwback to the Dickens original.
Shona's classmates, Tino (Alexander Lobo Moreno) and Gazz (Alex Hardie) are the lowlife duo working for big boss Pops (James Meteyard). Miss Cavani (Rosie Hilal) is Shona's teacher desperately trying to convince her to stay on the straight and narrow while dealing with her own battle with domestic abuse at home. Most touching is Shona's relationship with her dad (Thomas Vernal), who is trying his best but failing miserably after the death of her mum.
Ultimately, things do work out for Shona - perhaps more easily than in the real world - as she escapes the clutches of the shady underworld and reunites with a long-lost relative. The others aren't so lucky, and we end up feeling sorry for Tino and Gazz, who despite their bravado are just two young kids caught up in the vicious world of gangs and crime.
Arguably the highlight of the whole performance is that all of the music is produced by the cast without any instruments - a continuous, heart-pounding rhythm of beatboxing, R&B, rap, grime and soul music. Hylton especially packs a powerful punch with her soaring vocals, leaving no doubt that we’ll hear more from her in the future.
BAFTA award-winning playwright Roy Williams has captured what it’s like to be a young person in the 21st century - complete with phone-obsessed teenagers, cancel culture and grown-ups who seem hopelessly out of touch with reality. It also highlights the darker, more uncomfortable truth of children living in poverty in Britain and the potential for exploitation that it brings.
This is Dickens reimagined for a modern era. Unexpected Twist offers youthful energy and catchy music by rising R&B star Yaya Bey and BAC Beatbox Academy’s Conrad Murray. "I love that it takes Oliver Twist as a story about poverty to tell a story about our current times," says Murray. "Being able to bring beatbox, hip hop and grime to the show helps modernise the story and create a new language and theatrical form on stage."
Describing the inspiration behind the production, writer Williams says: “If there is no children’s theatre, there will be no theatre at all in years to come. It is essential theatre gets them early. Unexpected Twist is a story about young people for young people!"
