If you are looking for a perfect family night out to the theatre, then look no further than Unexpected Twist. The musical play is Michael Rosen's re-telling of the classic Charles Dickens tale Oliver Twist in a modern setting, however, it was even better than I could have imagined.
Right from the start, the audience was told that no instruments or soundtracks would be used and that all sounds heard were performed live on the stage. The play follows the life of Shona, a young girl from a struggling family who is starting at a new school.
It's not long before Shona is whisked into a life of crime in return for the things she thought she desperately wanted, such as a phone and extra cash for her family. Although she soon realises thanks to her teacher, family and friends that she is in over her head and needs to get out before it's too late.
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The entire cast was amazingly talented and there was a chance for everyone to show off their beautiful voices, especially Drew Hylton as Shona/Oliver, Alexander Lobo Moreno as Tino/Artful Dodger and Kate Donnachie as Desree. Alex Hardie as Gazz was also fantastic with his beatboxing and seamlessly continued subtly making music even when his character was being attacked.
The set was cleverly designed so that the traditional characters of Oliver could appear above the stage whilst the students were reading about it, which at times was truly chilling. The costumes were also designed beautifully and allowed characters to quickly change between their modern selves and Dickens personas.
Crowds of families were loving the show and cheered from the audience throughout, as the high-energy performance just kept getting better and better. Even if you have never heard of Oliver Twist before, the themes are still relevant today which makes Unexpected Twist a play that everyone of all ages can enjoy.
There was even a surprise impromptu beatboxing session at the end that members of the audience were able to get involved in and people were still singing on their way out of the theatre.
The production will visit the Theatre Royal Nottingham from March 21-25 as part of a national tour.
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