Oliver! another new Fagin

Oliver! will have a new Fagin a little sooner than expected.

Russ Abbots as Fagin

Russ Abbot will take over as Fagin from April 13. Rowan Atkinson has been forced to pull out for three weeks to undergo surgery for a hernia.

He’s hoped to be back on stage by April 27.

A statement from a spokesperson for the show said:

“Rowan has been nursing the problem for a few weeks but it flared up badly whilst on a break with his family this week. He has cut short his holiday to fly back to have surgery immediately to speed the recovery process…..The condition, whilst neither serious nor dangerous, is extremely painful and prevents normal movement, making performing impossible.”

Russ Abbot played the role of Fagin in the 1997 production and also in a couple of touring productions.