Polling Day

Today is the 12th December 2019 and it is the date of the General Election.

Spitting Image

If Jeremy Corbyn loses his job today—he can always try his hand at acting—and audition for a role as a lookalike Ron Moody playing the famous Charles Dickens character Fagin in Oliver!

In this life, one thing counts
In the bank, large amounts
I’m afraid these don’t grow on trees,
You’ve got to pick-a-pocket or two

You’ve got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys,
You’ve got to pick-a-pocket or two.

Lionel Bart

Ron Moody

Actor Ron Moody received great acclaim for his characterisation of Fagin in the stage musical Oliver written by Lionel Bart. It was premiered at the New Theatre, London in 1960 and the popular musical enjoyed a long run. It then went on to Broadway with Moody winning a Golden Globe Award for his role. He was nominated for an Academy Award for the 1968 film version.

Oliver and The Miracle Worker

A personal reminiscence

The musical Oliver was playing at the New Theatre, London in 1962 at which time I was appearing as a child in the play The Miracle Worker at the Wyndhams Theatre. The two theatres back on to each other with just a narrow passage between. The Miracle Worker girls’ dressing room window was directly opposite the Oliver boys’ dressing room!—and we would wave at each other every night and have some fun chucking sweets across the alleyway during the intervals of the two shows.

Following the London run of The Miracle Worker at the Wyndhams and Royalty theatres I went on tour playing the deaf and dumb child Helen Keller.

What the Dickens!

Oliver Twist written by Charles Dickens was first published in serial form during the years 1837-1839 — It was innovative at the time to produce a work in a serialisation format.

The characterisation of Fagin met some criticism as prejudiced. Following a letter of complaint Dickens delayed publication in order to edit and tone the offence of the character down.

The novel Oliver Twist written in 1839 is rich in strong characterisations and descriptions of the poor and criminal classes. The poverty and crime shocked his readers, but the novel helped open their eyes to the prevalent social inequality and endemic child labour and how the poor suffered in Victorian Britain.

His books increased knowledge and understanding of the impoverished and raised awareness to the dire need for social reform.

That’s it for now,
I’m off to vote!

…wonder who is going to be running the country tomorrow…