In the evening a friend and I attended the annual community theatre musical. This year they produced an excellent version of Oliver! Players included community members from aged 6 upwards. The choreography and singing were wonderful. A colleague presented a stellar version of Fagan. The story left me with much to think about. The social commentary addressed by Dickens in this story sadly still fits today -- nearly 200 years later. The lower income 'working' class received minimal income while the wealthy remained very comfortable. The middle class would not emerge for another few decades. The entitled people within the class structure of Great Britain ensured their station remained firmly intact. They did this by oppressing the lower classes. Particular views of women's roles in society were denigrating at best, with domestic violence an accepted norm. Again, it would be over 70 years before women's suffrage addressed the inequities. Children of poor families were treated similarly to livestock. No social policy legislation was in place to ensure the safety of workers of any age. Many of these attitudes still exist in this world, sometimes closer to home than may be comfortable. Much work has led to policy that addresses these issues, yet negative attitudes remain.
One song from the play that brought me back to my early morning feelings is shared here. The lyrics could also be read as a way to change attitudes and lots in life. Enjoy!
Who will buy? -- Oliver (film cast) (sorry for the subtitles in this video)
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