OLIVER!, Broadway in Utah, Capitol Theatre, through Sunday (355-2787). Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes (one intermission).
I'm "reviewing the situation, " just as Fagin, London's No. 1 pickpocket, does toward the end of Act Two in "Oliver!"
This has the name of Cameron Mackintosh, Britain's big-ticket theater producer, in fairly large type near the top of the playbill's title page. Except this isn't really Mackintosh's production of Lionel Bart's classic musical, based on Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist."
This new touring show is merely "adapted from" the London Palladium production.
It does have a lot going for it — spectacular scenery, authentic costuming and a stageful of cute little pickpockets.
But when Mr. Bumble and the Widow Corney were singing "I Want to Scream" early in Act One . . . I wanted to scream "the orchestra's too loud!"
Instead of Oliver's sweet (but barely audible) query, "Where Is Love?" — I was wondering, where are the microphones?
You could tell the youngsters on stage were singing (at least their mouths were moving), but it really is quite amazing just how much sound a 10-piece orchestra pit ensemble can produce. Not only was it loud, it was irritatingly shrill. The musicians pretty much obliterated quite a few of the show's wonderful lyrics.
Beyond this one complaint (and, hopefully, it will be fixed soon), this non-equity NETworks Presentations production has a strong cast of good performers.
Ryan Tutton, a 9-year-old from Chicago, has the title role. He's cute as the dickens (pun intended), but — like others in the cast — he was frequently drowned out by the orchestra.
Mark McCracken does a great job as Fagin, pickpocket extraordinaire. But, speaking of stealing, the one person who runs away with most of the scenes is Renata Renee Wilson, who is as feisty as she is beguiling as Nancy. Her downfall is her choice of suitors. Her boyfriend — Bill Sikes — isn't just mean, he's junkyard-dog mean.
Shane R. Tanner delivers a Sikes who is menacing and rotten to the core.
"Oliver!" is a pretty dark show (the "worst of times" overshadows any "best of times"), but there are some lighter moments and comedy relief.
Mr. Bumble, who runs the dreary workhouse where Oliver has been dumped, and the Widow Corney — played, respectively, by David L. J. George and Gwen Eyster — add some humor to the proceedings, in the same, over-the-top way the Thenardiers do in "Les Miserables."
A darker shade of humor comes from undertakers Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry (Jimmy Flannery and Kimberley Xavier Martins).
And Andrew Blau brings a large amount of energy to the role of Oliver's newfound friend, The Artful Dodger. Peter Buckley and Mary-Ann Trippet add their own touch of London dignity in the roles of Mr. Brownlow (who feels a special kinship toward little Oliver) and Mrs. Bedwin, his maid.
Matthew Bourne's staging, augmented by Geoffrey Garratt's additional choreography, add polish to the production.
Now, if they'd just turn down the sound from the pit and crank up the actors' microphones, this is a show you could "Consider Yourself" thoroughly enjoying.
Sensitivity rating: Some Victorian bawdiness and implied violence.
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com