Review of Unexpected Twist at Nottingham Theatre Royal

Charles Dickens' classic story of Oliver Twist is brought to life on stage in a boldly reinvented and adapted version featuring gangs, poverty and phones.

Unexpected Twist is staged at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal until Saturday.

The classic story Oliver Twist has been rewritten by children’s author Michael Rosen and adapted for stage by Roy Williams.

Shona, played by Drew Hylton, is new to school and her class are studying Oliver Twist, but what she didn’t expect was to relate to the story so much that she almost lives it.

The contemporary story relocates the classic to a deprived area of England, in which Shona tries to help her father in their poverty until she is offered her very first phone.

Trying to help her family and make friends, Shona gets caught up in a gang, who shower her with fake promises of quick money and a free phone.

Roy’s script is a powerful demonstration of today’s obsession with phones.

The production shows how child poverty can easily lead to child crime, as well as how children treat their peers who have less opportunities and money.

Unexpected Twist is definitely the twist that I wasn’t expecting! I was drawn into a performance of modern day issues. It was simple, brutal and charismatic. ­— MT