Oliver!

Act One

The show opens to reveal a dark and bland dining hall full of dozens of young workhouse boys. It is raining outside, adding to the gloomy atmosphere. The boys are starved and dream of all the delicious food they could eat to quell their great appetites. Much to their dismay, they are given only a measly bowlful of gruel for their half-hearted meal (“Food, Glorious, Food”). One young boy, still left hungry from the small meal approaches their keeper, Mr. Bumble, and courageously asks for some more food. Mr. Bumble and the workhouse mistress, Widow Corney, find his request absurd and out of line. They demand to know the boy's name before they decide a fitting punishment for his behavior (“Oliver”).

The disastrous evening in the dining hall leaves Mr. Bumble and Widow Corney quite stressed and shaken, so they go on to the widow’s parlor for a drink to take the edge off. After some gin, Mr. Bumble has gathered the courage to not only plant a kiss on Widow Corney’s lips, but to