Jan 11 2009

Oliver! to become biggest-selling show in West End history

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Washington, Jan 11 (ANI): The new production of Oliver is set to become the most successful show in West End history, with record-breaking advance ticket sales of 15 million pounds.

It opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on Wednesday and stars Rowan Atkinson in the role of Fagin.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh’’s latest revival of Lionel Bart’’s musical, based on Charles Dickens” novel Oliver Twist, is heavily booked until the end of July, with thousands of people paying up to 60 pounds for a ticket.

It is becoming the fastest-selling West End show of all time, a record previously set by the stage adaptation of Dirty Dancing, which opened in 2006 on advance sales of 12 million pounds.

Sir Cameron said that he was ‘thrilled’ that his latest production of Oliver! had broken all previous box-office records for advance sales.

“It is a wonderful story and Lionel’’s music is as intoxicating and timeless as it was nearly 50 years ago when the show first opened. It is by far the most ambitious and spectacular West End show I have ever put on,” the Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Oliver! has gained a lot of attention since last year’’s broadcast of the BBC One talent show, I”d Do Anything!, in which a panel of judges including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Denise Van Outen and Barry Humphries - the actor and comedian who played Fagin in Sir Cameron’’s previous production of Oliver! - picked three boys, Gwion Jones, Harry Stott and Laurence Jeffcoate, to share the lead role.

A public vote in the show’’s final episode saw Jodie Prenger chosen to play role of the ill-fated Nancy in Sir Cameron’’s new 4.5 million pound production, which is directed by Rupert Goold and choreographed by Matthew Bourne. (ANI)