Adam Goodburn and Sarah Hamilton led a highly-talented core for Marie Clark Musical Theatre to give a big gang of youngsters stage experience in Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver! Goodburn (as Fagin) and Hamilton (Nancy) are in the stream of gold now available and contributing to South Australian community theatre. Goodburn has professional music credits with Opera Australia (as Nanki-Po in The Mikado) and State Opera South Australia (Goro in Madama Butterfly, Pang in Turandot, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd) plus his Helpmann-Award nomination for the Mahatma Gandhi role in Satyagraha. Hamilton, holding a bachelor of music degree, also has a string of professional roles including in Kiss Me Kate (Opera Queensland), A Chorus Line (Made About Theatre), Nadia in Bare (Matilda nominee for best emerging artist) and in the national tour of Alice in Wonderland. Like Goodburn, she has happily brought that heft of experience to a range of Adelaide community productions.
Oliver! by Lionel Bart
Presented by Marie Clark Musical Theatre
Musical Director Jaxon Joy, Co-Director Lucy Trewin, Co-Director & Choreographer Eloise Morriss
June 19-27, 2026
The Arts Theatre, Angas St, Adelaide
Those filling the phalanx of supporting roles for Oliver! included Brad Tucker, Aliyah Goodburn (Adam’s daughter), Kim Clark, Jen Edwards, Nic Equid, Ruby Pinkerton, Tom Moore, Susie O’Connell, Felix Setchell, Olivia Tod, Tom Adams and Dannie Lee.
Music director Jaxon Joy and co directors Lucy Trewin and Eloise Morriss (also choreographer) and the huge production crew and volunteers in a multitude of roles further honoured the legacy of Marie Clark, founder of the theatre group in Tea Tree Gully in 1974.
Equally valuable was the show’s role in mentoring a large group of young performers who were divided into two youth casts for the season. Their group appearances on stage were perhaps a little too structured but that may be trade off in handling so much youthful energy. Filling the Arts Theatre with parents, grandparents and other relatives was a happy benefit of such a large, youthful cast.
– Vicki Arnold
