(photo credit/Racheal McCaig)
The fact that the iconic line “Please Sir, can I have some more” is used in a drug-related context indicates that Factory Theatre’s Twisted is not intended for a younger audience. A modern take on Oliver Twist, Twisted is a two person show featuring Ollie and Nancy, both suffering from painful pasts, the story of their relationship and how they fell in love. Ollie is a street kid who went from foster home to foster home, and Nancy a drug addict and prostitute. Theirs is a story of survival.
Set in modern day Toronto, most of the dialogue between these two characters is through texting – displayed on a wall above the actors- which is a far cry from the days of Dickens. The only time the two actors speak face to face is when they are retelling how they met.
The play was carried by powerful performances by Susanna Fournier (Nancy) and Ngabo Nabea (Ollie) with humor and spoken word peppered throughout.
The stage was full of basic shapes, square boxes stacked against a wall, meant to represent what one would see if looking down on a cityscape. Nancy spent most of her time hopping from box to box, adding some physicality to her performance. The set director did an excellent job of playing with shadows and lighting, creating amazing visuals.
Overall, Twisted captivated the audience who were pulled in to this sad tale of two lovers, their pasts and hopes for the future. (Carissa Ainslie)