English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College impress audiences with production of Oliver! musical

A cast and crew of talented students and staff at the Hartlepool school performed the musical Oliver! to nearly 800 spectators over a three-night run at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre.

Year 7 student Tilly Duffield played the title role of Oliver in the timeless classic based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.

Audiences were full of praise for all involved in putting on the show, which was put together in just eight weeks.

Musical director and choreographer Charlotte Stirk said: “Oliver is an all-time classic musical packed with great songs.

“The cast worked unbelievably hard, rehearsing at least three times a week to be ready for the performances and I couldn’t be prouder of them all.”

English Martyrs’ annual musical is a long-served tradition and thousands of students have trodden the boards in various shows over the past 50 years.

Since the move to their new building in September 2019, the school made the decision to move the show to a professional theatre.

Events co-ordinator Steve Hope said: “Giving the students the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre is fantastic.

“It allows us to have a larger cast which opens up the door for more students to be involved in the production.”

Oliver! was English Martyrs’ first production since Sister Act just before the start of the pandemic in February 2020.

Headteacher Sara Crawshaw said: “This was my first experience of the musicals at EMS and it was far beyond all expectations.”