Oliver - Never mind Nancy -who will be Bill Sykes? May 19, 2008
Posted by Linda in : I'd do anything, Musicals, Oliver, opinion , trackback
The Daily Mail seems to think it knows. They are tipping Burn Gorman to play the bruiser Bill Sykes in the new production of Oliver. Now I really like Burn’s work. He’ll be sadly missed in Torchwood where he did show he has an interestingly dark side. He was excellent in Bleak House on the BBC too so he knows his way around a costume drama. He’s musical, having even worked with the ENO. I just cannot quite see him as Bill Sykes. How can I put this? Maybe Dickens can help.
Oliver Twist
Skyes was….
… a stoutly-built fellow of about five-and-thirty, in a black velveteen coat, very soiled drab breeches, lace-up half boots, and grey cotton stockings which enclosed a bulky pair of legs, with large swelling calves;–the kind of legs, which in such costume, always look in an unfinished and incomplete state without a set of fetters to garnish them. He had a brown hat on his head, and a dirty belcher handkerchief round his neck: with the long frayed ends of which he smeared the beer from his face as he spoke. He disclosed, when he had done so, a broad heavy countenance with a beard of three days’ growth, and two scowling eyes; one of which displayed various parti-coloured symptoms of having been recently damaged by a blow.
You see, by this point I’m imagining Oliver Reed who played the part in the 1968 film version .
I just can’t quite fit the slim figure of Burn Gorman, all 5 ‘ 10″ of it, dominating some of the remaining Nancys. In particular I think if Burn is cast then Jodie is doomed. She would need someone with a bit more physical substance to play against than Burn. This is a great shame in my opinion as Jodie is consistently the best Nancy on I’d Do Anything. And Andrew Lloyd Webber has a cheek describing her dancing as “meatloaf” - not nice or even accurate!
I don’t really see how they can cast Bill Sykes without knowing who will play Nancy. There has to be a physical chemistry there that helps to explain why Nancy would stay with such a rat. If not it makes a total nonsense of a huge part of the plot. And this would mean that all four lead characters would have no solid, day in day out, stage musical experience! Am I the only one that’s worried?
Update - it’s Sikes not Skyes!
What can I say? I got it wrong as one of our readers kindly pointed out. Thanks Rosie 
Please get the spelling right: his surname is Sikes (mine is Sykes and so I get really fussed about this!)
Oh boy! Foot in mouth
You are of course correct.
In the book it’s not clear but in the musical it is indeed spelled Sikes. I’ve added an update to the post to that effect and promise not to do it again. I blame my proof reader, he knows I’m dyslexic! (Actually that’s true!)
Well I blame the late Eric Sykes for making the alternative spelling look less lykely
Hell I’m 6′3″ and 225lbs. Dark hair, stubble and a bit of a shit..
I’ll do it! But only if I can perform opposite Jessie Buckley.
Oh, that’s the end of that dream then…..
Jodie is 5ft 3in in stockinged feet, check her out on you tube to see what she looked like at 8st10 i think you’ll be surprised !And remember it was Television not the Stage two totally different art forms.. so anyone good couldplay against her, the rumour mill said danny dyer is he still on ? g.s.x
There’s no official word yet so Danny Dyer is still a possible I think, as is Burn. I take your point about Jodie, she’s much shorter than I’d realised. Those Youtube videos are very interesting, I wonder how much of her apparent size has been to do with costume fitting and camera angles?
I’m majorly excited that Burn’s been confirmed as Sikes in the new production. I don’t think he and Jodie will have any trouble opposite each other. As you pointed out, we saw a dark side to Owen (Torchwood) so I think Burn is a great choice, fabulous casting, can’t wait to hear him vocally as well.