Show c- c By JOHN BAUER General Manager Valley Volley Music Haft Had It is gradually being conceded conceded con con- ceded that except for Shakespeare Charles Dickens Dickens Dickens Dick Dick- ens is the greatest writer in inthe inthe inthe the English language Not generally known is that this master story teller story teller wanted to be not only an actor- actor manager but also a dramatist drama drama- Although Dickens in his oWn own times failed in all his theatrical endeavours he became the most prolific source of dramatic entertainment entertainment enter enter- in all English English h literature For example Oliver which had its world premiere in London inJune in inJune June une is the best of more than thirty odd thirty stage and screen offerings based on Oliver Twist since it first appeared as a monthly magazine serial back in 1837 Dickens' Dickens novels all appeared ap ap- as as serial stories his characters grew and developed developed developed devel devel- as the novel pro pro- gressed He didn't know from one installment to the next nen what would be happening happening happening hap hap- pening to the people he had created He was constantly constantI constantly constant constant- I ly meeting press deadlines t cs a and d was therefore often in doubt whether to give his r characters life or death Regardless of their fate on onI oni I f papery i he gave them im im- mortality t i Dickens Dickens' was still A tk- tk t 1 ng on on his first novel Pick- Pick Papers when he bes bey be- be s- s str tr oj- oj y rt gan writing O Oliver ver Twist the story of a disinherited boy consigned to a workhouse workhouse workhouse work work- house which is virtually a jail and escaping only to fall into the hands of a gang of and pick pick- pockets From this tale Lionel Bart has created a twentieth century musical writing the book music and lyrics Although his serials were often pirated and used for dramatic purposes before the final installment his theatrical friends discouraged discouraged aged him as a would-be would playwright playwright- Charles Macready Macready Mac Mac- ready the great actor of Covent Garden and Drury Lane wrote in his diary Forster and Dickens called and I told them of the utter impracticality of Oliver Twist for any dramatic dramatic dramatic dra dra- I matic purpose Oliver Twist was adapted I and produced at the St St. James Theatre as early as I 1838 and Fagin has been I portrayed over the years by everyone from Sir Herbert I Beerbohm Tree to Alec Guineas Guiness Latest adaptation ou J and generally accepted as the finest is the musical I Oliver The macabre episodes episodes episodes epi epi- are spoofed with wonderful wonderful won won- music and love has been injected into the most sinister bits Critics Critics' across across across' the world pronounce Oliver a masterful job II I I |