Full cast announced for 'Oliver!' in the West End

The cast of Oliver! will include Simon Lipkin as Fagin, Shanay Holmes as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell as Bill Sikes, and Billy Jenkins as the Artful Dodger.

UPDATE: This article was updated on 10 December with the announcement that Billy Byers will play Alternate Artful Dodger and Odo Rowntree-Bailly (Love Never Dies) will be one of the actors playing Oliver Twist. Other actors performing in the roles of Oliver and Dodger for later in the run will be announced in due course.

The complete cast has been set for Cameron Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne's revival of Oliver!, which opens at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End on 14 December.

New cast members include Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Mother Goose) as Mr Bumble, Katy Secombe (The Music Man) as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews (Strictly Ballroom) as Mr Sowerberry/Dr Grimwig, and Jamie Birkett (Peter Pan Goes Wrong) as Mrs Sowerberry/Mrs Bedwin.

They join the previously announced Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Wicked) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Dodger) as the Artful Dodger and Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show) as Mr Brownlow.

Forming the young adult cast are Callum Hudson (Noah Claypole), Isabelle Methven (Bet), Lochlan White (Charley Bates) and Harry Cross (Fagin’s Gang). The ensemble members/swings are Rachael Archer, Tegan Bannister, Adam Boardman, Bethany Huckle, Ebony Jonelle, Bethan Keens (Charlotte), Danny Lane, Peter Nash, Josh Patel-Foster, Sam Peggs, Jasmine Sakyiama, Wendy Somerville (Old Sally), Leah Vassell, and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

Sharing the role of Oliver Twist are Cian Eagle-Service (The Witches, Les Misérables), Raphael Korniets (The Snowman), and Jack Philpott (The Witches, Matilda).

The younger roles in Fagin’s gang are shared by Toba Agbelusi, Zoe Akinyosade, Ben Birch, Finley Burrows, Preston Cropp, Benjamin Dalton, Kylan Michael Denis, SebastianElton, Liam Findlay, Rudy Gibson, Stanley Guy, George Hamblin, Lily Hanna, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Grace King, Cooper McCrae, Jonny Niland, Hugo Pechey, William Skinner, Dylan Xavier, and Aaron Zhao.

Oliver! is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, with co-director Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, designer Lez Brotherston, musical supervisor and conductor Graham Hurman, lighting designers Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound designer Adam Fisher, and projection designer George Reeve, with original orchestrations by William David Brohn, orchestral adaptation by Stephen Metcalfe, and choreographic associates Etta Murfitt and Sam Archer.

Bourne said: “When the groundbreaking original production of Oliver! opened in 1960 the brilliant young cast was led by Ron Moody, Georgia Brown and Barry Humphries! None of them household names at the time but their performances would soon become the stuff of theatrical legend.

“I’m delighted today to be announcing our similarly brilliant and youthful cast, who will bring fresh life to Lionel Bart’s beloved masterpiece, creating an Oliver! for today, whilst staying true to the joyous spirit of its creator.”

Check back for Oliver! tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: the full cast of Oliver! (Photo by Danny Kaan)