Oliver! understands the darkness of Dickens. The problem is that it rarely allows that darkness to settle.

This revival is visually assured, often striking and performed with conviction throughout. It leans into the brutality beneath Lionel Bart’s familiar score, presenting a world that feels harsher and less sentimental than many audiences may expect.

At its best, that approach works.

Simon Lipkin’s Fagin balances humour with vulnerability, avoiding caricature without losing the character’s charm. Ava Brennan’s Nancy is the production’s emotional centre, grounded, intelligent and painfully aware of the life she is trapped within. Aaron Sidwell’s Bill Sikes is equally effective, resisting the temptation to become a pantomime villain.

The issue is not performance. It is pace.

Again and again, the production arrives at moments that should linger, only to hurry past them.

Nancy’s story suffers most from this. As Long As He Needs Me lands with precision, but before its emotional impact can fully register, the production is already moving on. The same pattern repeats throughout the evening. Key developments arrive, make their point and disappear before they have time to deepen.

That relentless momentum creates energy, but it comes at a cost.

Matthew Bourne’s choreography is a major part of the production’s appeal. The movement is constant, and Lez Brotherston’s industrial set reinforces the claustrophobia of Dickensian London. Together they create a world that feels alive, crowded and unforgiving.

Yet the production rarely finds stillness.

As the story drives towards its conclusion, the compression becomes more noticeable. Emotional beats are overtaken by narrative urgency, leaving some of the most significant moments feeling abbreviated. The result is a revival that frequently impresses but occasionally struggles to move.

The cast work tirelessly to bridge that gap. Ryo Appadu brings sincerity to Oliver without slipping into sentimentality, while Aaron MacGregor’s Artful Dodger injects much-needed energy whenever he appears. The ensemble sustain the production’s pace from beginning to end.

The standing ovation feels earned.

Visually, this is an impressive revival of a classic musical. It embraces the darkness at the heart of the story and delivers it with confidence.

I only wish it trusted some of its strongest moments enough to let them breathe.