On Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st March 2011 KESH Academy performed the musical Oliver! The cast included students of all ages, ranging from year 7 all the way up to year 13. The students had worked hard over many months rehearsing with the Performing Arts faculty three nights a week and even came in on a Saturday for a full dress rehearsal! The students worked fantastically well as a team, supporting each other throughout the process by learning lines together and even singing along with the songs from the wings. The performance told the story of a young boy from a workhouse called Oliver who is sold to a funeral director after he has had the audacity to ask Mr Bumble, the Beadle of the workhouse, for more gruel. Oliver escapes and goes to London where he meets Jack Dawkins, otherwise known as the Artful Dodger, who introduces him to an eccentric old man called Fagin who looks after a troop of pick pockets.

In the care of Dodger and Fagin Oliver is able to make some good friends and find a new life for himself. The students worked extremely hard on the show and should be very proud of their achievements. The play demanded a range of talents from our cast who had to sing, dance as well as learn all their lines. We would like to thank all of the staff from around the school who helped us get the production ready and all the families of the cast who we know have been supporting the performers at home.

Most importantly we want to thank the cast themselves who have been a pleasure to work with throughout the process!