Spotlight on: Oliver with a Twist!
Looking for a leavers' musical to help your Year Six class leave in style? Look no further than Oliver with a Twist, Emily Martin and Matthew Crossey ‘s brand-new musical adaptation based on – you’ve guessed it – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.
This new school musical for primary schools has gone above and beyond to delight school audiences and youth theatres across the UK and beyond so far, but what makes it so special? Hint: it’s definitely the twist in the tale!
What’s It All About?
“Ultimately, I wanted to bring the popular Dickens story (often studied in primary schools due to its link to the Victorians and the history curriculum) to a new audience with the adult concepts of death, murder, and capital punishment.”
- Emily Martin
Spoilers ahead!
In this KS2 script, an orphan named Oliver is chased from a workhouse for famously asking for more food, which results in him meeting a carriage driver who takes him to London. Here in the capital, Oliver befriends Dodger and quickly joins a pickpocketing gang led by a character named Fagin. After having been framed for theft, Oliver is cleared by a man named Mr Brownlow, who then takes him in.
Later on in the musical, Oliver is kidnapped by Fagin’s gang, who wants him to help them commit a burglary. He alerts the police, and a gang member, Nancy, also helps expose the crime ring. With the assistance of the police and Mr Brownlow, the gang leader, Fagin, is put away. Oliver shares his suspicion with Mr Brownlow that he is his long-lost grandson, and the story ends with the reveal that Mr Brownlow opened a school and everyone lived happily ever after.
While both Oliver with a Twist and Lionel Bart’s popular musical ‘Oliver!’ focus on Charles Dickens’ famous novel, Oliver with a Twist is a more contemporary and creative adaptation, offering new twists and original songs aimed at a younger audience base.
Making Oliver with a Twist
“My favourite thing about the musical is that it works so well as a complete piece. The script is engaging, funny and really well-pitched for the age group, and the songs are catchy and memorable. We know children and probably their teachers and parents will enjoy singing. My favourite song is ‘Searching for a Family’!”
- Matt Crossey
After getting familiar with the original Oliver Twist and reading different children’s versions, the creators got to work thinking about which story elements would hold up well in the new adaptation.
Emily had the idea of the title first and spent a few weeks planning plots with different twists. She wrote two drafts before writing a third with the current twist. There were nine drafts overall!
Matt and Emily met regularly in the evenings to read their way through the script and sing along to the music and lyrics to make sure it all linked together. The process then became about rewrites and refinements until everyone was happy. The recordings then had to be made, and the sheet music set; the additional information in the book was compiled, and then everything was pulled together for the final package. The cover illustration was commissioned, the book and CD artwork were compiled, and everything went to print.
Core Morals and Messages
Oliver with a Twist contains a number of key morals and values that your class can learn from. Let’s take a look at a few!
- Compassion
The power of kindness and compassion is pivotal to the play, with characters like Nancy and Mr Brownlow often standing up for what is right.
- Good vs evil
Oliver with a Twist works to heavily contrast characters who embrace goodness and integrity with those who are less kind. This aims to emphasise moral choices throughout the play.
- Redemption
Some characters, such as Nancy, seek redemption in the story, showing that self-improvement can be possible. This draws a striking contrast with characters like Fagin, who represent moral corruption.
- Love and family
Oliver’s journey is all about finding a loving and supporting family. His relationships with certain characters like Mr Brownlow underscore the criticality of belonging and care.
- Perseverance
As a story full of adversity, Oliver with a Twist is about persevering in the face of challenges. This can be a great lesson for children, who can learn the importance of resilience, determination, and hope, even when faced with tricky challenges.
Who Should Purchase Oliver with a Twist?
“Schools will love it probably for the reasons that we love it - it is age-appropriate, there are loads of great parts and songs, and the script is really funny but with moments of high drama. It is also the perfect length for a leavers' show and runs to just over an hour.”
- Matt Crossey
Oliver with a Twist is perfect for primary school children aged 9-13, including a thought-provoking script with valuable lessons to be learned about good vs evil, crime, and friendship.
While KS2 children can typically handle longer and more complex narratives than KS1 students, Oliver with a Twist’s 60-minute length remains manageable. One hour is perfect to keep the kids engaged without overwhelming them!
Remember to consider your cast size before purchasing Oliver with a Twist. This brilliant new production has 43 speaking roles with an ideal cast size of 20 to 60+ students. Don’t forget that not all children will feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience and participating in drama, so try to pick a group with enough students wanting to cover the main parts.
So, if you have a KS2 class ready to rehearse nine wonderful songs, as well as a funny script, why not give it a go and help them leave primary school with a bang?
Ready to Put on Your Next School Musical?
If Oliver with a Twist sounds like a school musical that your class will love, add it to your basket and start learning those catchy tunes!
Do you have a question about our adaptations? Don’t hesitate to contact us today or check out our blog for more musical insights, or check out the newest addition to our musical repertoire – Looking Good, Robin Hood!
Meet the Authors
Matt Crossey: Matt has worked in the music industry for twenty-five years and has composed and produced songs for contemporary artists as well as having numerous songs published for the schools market. He co-founded The School Musicals Company with Tom Kirkham in 2016.
Emily Martin: After finishing a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Kent, Emily travelled the globe for a year before returning to the UK and training to be a primary school teacher. Emily has been teaching since 2015 and particularly loves teaching Year 6 and putting on end-of-year productions. In her spare time, she likes to read, write, go running and travel.
Learn more and Meet the Authors behind the School Musicals Company’s performances!