History Theatre / Oliver

* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: In the original novel, Sikes and Oliver’s failed robbery was Sikes and Fagin’s attempt to corrupt Oliver as part of their and Monks’ plan, as well as to introduce Rose and the Maylies. Here, the robbery holds no affect on the plot, and the people of the house are not seen afterwards.

* IrrelevantActOpener: "Oom Pah Pah" is a drinking song. Looks like it's named after everyone's favorite thing, too.

* TheFagin: Obviously.

* TheArtfulDodger: Well of course. In fact even more so than in the book.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Fagin seems to dislike Bill Sikes's penchant for violence and his treatment of Nancy. The thieves and pickpockets under his care also react with horror when Sikes beats Nancy in front of them. Also, [[spoiler:when Sikes tells the gang that he murdered Nancy, Fagin is visibly horrified and refuses to help him escape]]. Even Bullseye, Sikes' rough and tough guard dog, refuses to follow his master after Nancy is murdered by his master.

* DomesticAbuser: Bill Sikes to Nancy.

"Would you risk the drop?"\\
"Though your eyes go pop"\\
"When you come down, plop!"

* DoubleEntendre: The entirety of "Oom-Pah-Pah" is a glorious pileup of double entendres, with [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar just enough subtlety]] to avoid being cut from even the most kid-friendly productions. Though it's up to the viewer to decide whether "oom-pah-pah" is meant to be alcohol, sex, or both.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Fagin seems to dislike Bill Sikes's penchant for violence and his treatment of Nancy. The thieves and pickpockets under his care also react with horror when Sikes beats Nancy in front of them. Also, [[spoiler:when Sikes tells the gang that he murdered Nancy, Fagin is visibly horrified and refuses to help him escape]].

* HaveAGayOldTime: "Who Will Buy" sports the line "I'm so high, I swear I could fly." (He's just happy.)

* BadSamaritan: Fagin, though downplayed from the book. While still somewhat self-serving, he is portrayed as something of a whimsical LoveableRogue who does to some extent care for his gang ([[EvenEvilHasStandards or at least loathes Sikes' treatment of them]]).

TheMovie was released in 1968. It was directed by Creator/CarolReed (''Film/TheThirdMan''). It starred Creator/OliverReed (Carol's nephew) as Bill Sikes, Mark Lester as Oliver (with his songs sung by a girl, Kathe Green), Creator/JackWild as the Artful Dodger and Ron Moody as Fagin. It was the last musical to win the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Picture until ''Film/{{Chicago}}'' 34 years later, and it remains the ''only'' G-rated movie to win.

* AnimalReactionShot: When Oliver first enters the hideout of Fagin's thieves, everyone stops talking and stares at him, including an owl.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: In a London revival, Fagin breaks the fourth wall during a few of his monologues, especially when he is play acting with his 'treasures'. For example, he was looking through an opera glass and pretending he was at a theatre, gesturing towards the Stalls in the actual theatre (where the most expensive seats are) and mentioning that was where all the rich people were, then gesturing at the top tier and saying that was full of poor people. In the second monologue he started recounting the story of the musical and ended up saying: "What the Dickens am I going on about?"

* CharacterDevelopment: Fagin provides a very interesting case study in the movie adaptation. When Oliver first meets him, he's a loud and frightening stranger who emerges from a cloud of smoke like the very Devil from Hell, bellowing at some random youngster who complains about the food to "Shut up and drink your gin!" Then, as Oliver gets introduced to everyone and he shows him around, Fagin starts looking a lot more like a [[LaughablyEvil comical villain]], particularly during the song "You've Got to Pick a Pocket Or Two" where he hams up his whole GreedyJew motif to pull some laughs. Later, as things get more serious, he reveals in his song "Reviewing the Situation" that he's tired of his whole criminal enterprise and wants out, but truly has nowhere to go, making him quite a sympathetic character indeed. By the end, he's pretty much run the entire range of Jewish villain characterizations from Shakespeare's time to ours.

** "Reviewing The Situation" is first sung by Fagin as he tries and fails to convince himself to abandon his criminal ways, later reprised with the Artful Dodger as they pledge their dedication to a life of crime.
** The ''original'' version has Fagin realizing at the end of each verse that the situation he's imagining is actually ''unimaginable'', so it's debatable how "dark" the reprise is, given that Fagin and Dodger both seem genuinely happy about the prospect:
--->Together till our dying day\\
The living proof that crime can pay
** And also, this is only true in the movie, as in the stage version, this revelation never existed, and he does straighten up his life after all.
** "It's a Fine Life" may be an even better example of this trope. It's first sung by Nancy and Bet as a relatively cheerful song, but is later reprised by Nancy, Bill Sikes, Fagin, and Dodger in a more sarcastic and dark manner.

* DownerEnding: The only character who has a happy ending is Oliver himself. And that's ''after'' watching Nancy killed by Bill Sikes, who is then shot (or in the film version, as in the original book, accidentally hangs himself) trying to escape with Oliver. Must've been pretty traumatic to be a part of...

* EverythingHasRhythm: During "Consider Yourself", most prominently in the film, everyone does this with whatever it is they happen to be doing. Except maybe Dodger and Oliver.

* FakeFood: In some productions applesauce stands in for the gruel eaten by the workhouse orphans in the opening scene. It's easy to "set up" (no cooking required), easy to clean off of prop bowls and spoons, is readily gobbled by a group of 8-14 year-old kids, and looks "truly disgusting" from the audience.

* FingerlessGloves: Fagin wears them.
* FlashMobCoverUp: {{Inverted}} in that it's done to prevent a crime. Nancy starts giving out beer and getting her customers to sing a rather lively bawdy ballad, in order to let Oliver, who'd been kidnapped by Sikes, escape unnoticed. It doesn't fool Sikes' dog, however.

* GenderFlip: In some productions, the Artful Dodger is played by a girl.
* GrayRainOfDepression: The rain pours as Oliver wearily tredges a muddy road to London after escaping from Mr. Sowerberry.

** Subverted with [[spoiler:Fagin]] in the movie. He plans to do this, but [[spoiler:instead chooses to leave with Dodger and continue a life of pickpocketing]]. It's rather heartwarming, in a strange way. In the theatre version, however, he plays it straight, deciding that with the breaking up and arrest of his gang, along with the loss of his precious treasures, there has never been a better time to change his ways.

* {{Intermission}}: The film version kept the intermission from the stage play. On the DVD, the intermission also doubles as a prompt to turn the disc over to continue the film.
* IrrelevantActOpener: "Oom Pah Pah" is a drinking song. Looks like it's named after everyone's favorite thing, too. The movie version makes it less irrelevant: Nancy leads the crowd in song in order to distract Bill Sikes so she can take Oliver to London Bridge.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: In some productions , the lyrics for "Reviewing the Situation" end with "There is no in between for me/But who will change the scene for me?", whereupon the set immediately starts to revolve as Fagin heads back to the fireplace to count his money.

* MediumAwareness: In one production in London, the orchestration uses a violin soloist during "Reviewing the Situation". Since a violin is one of the items that Fagin has in his box of treasures, there were several PlayedForLaughs moments where Fagin, apparently hearing the violin solo, would stop and stare at the violin, and pick it up to examine it. The same part also featured a long monologue by Fagin where he seemed perfectly aware that he was on stage in a theatre.

* NoSongForTheWicked: In the film, Bill Sikes never sings, although other people sing about him.

** Some productions leave [[spoiler:Nancy]]'s death ambiguous, implying there's a chance she survived. The film version leaves no doubt that Sikes killed her.

* ThatRemindsMeOfASong: Nancy starts up "Oom-Pah-Pah" as a distraction to let Oliver escape from Bill Sikes.

* WheelOfPain: The film adaptation briefly shows a variation on the theme during the opening scene.

* LoveMartyr: Poor Nancy has this BAD for [[CompleteMonster Bill Sikes]]. She recognises this in "As Long As He Needs Me", but even though he's a murderous thug and robber who beats her and plans to kill Oliver, she still can't bring herself to hand him over to the law.

TheMovie was released in 1968. It was directed by Creator/CarolReed (''Film/TheThirdMan''). It starred Creator/OliverReed (Carol's nephew) as Bill Sikes, Mark Lester as Oliver (with his songs sung by a girl, Kathe Green), Creator/JackWild at the Artful Dodger and Ron Moody as Fagin. It was the last musical to win the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Picture until ''Film/{{Chicago}}'' 34 years later, and it remains the ''only'' G-rated movie to win.

* BadSamaritan: Fagin, though downplayed from the book. While still somewhat self-serving, he is portrayed as something of a whimsical LoveableRogue who does to some extent care for his gang ([[EvenEvilHasStandards or at least loathes Sykes' treatment of them]]).

-->'''Fagin:''' And though I'd be the first one to say that I wasn't a saint/I'm finding it hard to be truly as black as they paint...

-->'''Oliver''': Please sir, I want some more.
-->'''Mr. Bumble''': [[BigWhat WHAT?!]]
-->'''Oliver''': Please sir, I want some...more?
-->'''Mr. Bumble''':'''''MORE?!!'''''

* CreepyMortician: Both the stage and film versions have the Sowerberrys, a whole family of this. They even get a song, "That's Your Funeral."

--> ''Together till our dying day / The living proof that crime can pay''

* DisproportionateRetribution: Speaking Bill Sykes' name aloud is, apparently, grounds for being killed, even if it's a whisper. He claims he actually followed through and ''did'' kill someone for boasting that he could his name in vain.

-->'''Nancy:''' ''[[LampshadeHanging They all suppose what they want to suppose]], when they hear "oom-pah-pah"!''
* DownerEnding: The only character who has a happy ending is Oliver himself. And that's ''after'' watching Nancy killed by Bill Sykes, who is then shot (or in the film version, as in the original book, accidentally hangs himself) trying to escape with Oliver. Must've been pretty traumatic to be a part of...

-->'''Sykes:''' Strong men tremble when they hear it\\

* EverythingHasRythm: During "Consider Yourself", most prominently in the film, everyone does this with whatever it is they happen to be doing. Except maybe Dodger and Oliver.

-->'''The Artful Dodger''': [to Oliver, who has just arrived in London] Whatchu starin' at? 'Aven't you never seen a toff?

* IAmVeryBritish: In the first half, the difference is made stronger due to a juxtaposition of 'proper' and Cockne

* ImGoingToHellForThis: Bill Sykes has this to say:

-->Who will buy my sweet red roses/Two blooms for a penny?

* KnightOfCerebus: Bill Sykes. The show gets ''much'' darker once he shows up.

* LoveMartyr: Poor Nancy has this BAD for [[CompleteMonster Bill Sykes]]. She recognises this in "As Long As He Needs Me", but even though he's a murderous thug and robber who beats her and plans to kill Oliver, she still can't bring herself to hand him over to the law.
-->''As long as life is long\\

As long as he needs me.''

* NobleDemon: Fagin is a thief, who trains others to be thieves, and works with Bill Sykes, but deep down he doesn't like his life and wishes the things he does weren't necessary, and tries his best not to be too bad. This trope is exemplified in the song "Reviewing the Situation":
-->Though I'd be the first one to say that I wasn't a saint, I'm finding it hard to be really as black as they paint. I'm reviewing the situation; can a fellow be a villain all his life?... I'm a bad 'un and a bad 'un I shall stay. You'll be seeing no transformation, but it's wrong to be a rogue in every way. I don't want nobody hurt for me or made to do the dirt for me, this rotten life is not for me, it's getting far too hot for me, there is no in-between for me, but who will change the scene for me? I think I'd better think it out again!

--> "Pretty little Sally goes walking down the alley, displays her pretty ankles for all of the men. They can see her garters, but ''not'' for free and gratis -- an inch or two, and then she knows when to say when!"

--->'''Sikes:''' ''What is it?''

** You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two" serves as an AntiVillain Song for Fagin.

--> Fare the well, but be back soon
-->Who can tell where danger's lurking

--> Give me one long, last look
-->Bless you

--> We must disappear
-->We'll be back here
-->Today... perhaps tomorrow

TheMovie was released in 1968. It was directed by Creator/CarolReed (''Film/TheThirdMan''). It starred Creator/OliverReed (Carol's nephew) as Bill Sikes, Mark Lester as Oliver (with his songs sung by a girl, Kathe Green), and Ron Moody as Fagin. It was the last musical to win the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Picture until ''Film/{{Chicago}}'' 34 years later, and it remains the ''only'' G-rated movie to win.

* TheDreaded: Sykes. The moment he arrives in the tavern after "Oom-Pah-Pah" the whole place goes dead quiet, seguing perfectly into his VillainSong.

* GenderFlip: In some adaptations of the stage musical, the Artful Dodger is played by a girl.

* LighterAndSofter: The book on which it's based ''Literature/OliverTwist'' is much darker and more grim than the musical.

* TheMusical
* OfCorsetsSexy

* ProtagonistTitle
* ARoundOfDrinksForTheHouse: discussed (optimistically) in "Consider Yourself".

* SayMyName ''Oliver!''

* WelcomingSong: The boys sing "Consider Yourself" to welcome Oliver into their gang

* DisproportionateRetribution: Speaking Bill Sykes' name aloud is, apparently, grounds for being killed, even if it's a whisper. He claims he actually followed through and ''did'' kill someone for taking his name in vain.
** Not even that. He apparently killed someone just for ''claiming that they could'' take his name in vain.

* LighterAndSofter

* CreepyMortician: Both the stage and film versions have the Sowberrys, a whole family of this. They even get a song, "That's Your Funeral."

* CreepyMortician: Both the stage and film versions, has a whole family like this. They even get a song, "That's Your Funeral."

* JerkAss:

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Fagin seems to dislike Bill Sikes's penchant for violence and his treatment of Nancy. The thieves and pickpockets under his care also react with horror when Sikes beats Nancy in front of them. Also, [[spoiler:when Sikes tells the gang that he murdered Nancy, Fagin is visibly horrified and refuses to help him escape]].

* BerserkButton: [[BewareTheNiceOnes Do not insult Oliver's dead mother.]] Or call him a liar for that matter, doesn't matter whether you are a "work ass" calling jerkass or Bill BigBad Sikes himself, you will make an ugly scene.

** Fagin, de-emphasizing his GreedyJew characterization in the original. Particularly notable is Ron Moody's cheerfully hammy performance in the 1968 film version. (He even stands up for Oliver on two occasions.)

* AffablyEvil: Fagin and Dodger, who, while genuinely pleasant to the kids under their care, actively look for children to recruit using many of the same criteria as modern cults. [[spoiler: Fagin, however, after seeing how Nancy and Bill turned out, has something of a change of heart and, after some soul-searching and the destruction of his operation, resolves to turn over a new leaf.]]

* UnholyMatrimony: Subverted with the Bumbles. In their early scenes, they flirt a lot and get a whole silly love song to themselves, but by the end of the play when they reappear, having finally tied the knot, it's clear that, being awful people, they have only managed to make one another miserable.

* ArtfulDodger: Well of course. In fact even more so than in the book.