Matt Lucas will star as Fagin in Lionel Bart’s iconic musical, Oliver!, for 6 weeks only at the Gielgud Theatre in London from Tuesday 22 September to Sunday 1 November 2026.
For further information and tickets, see oliverthemusical.com
Actor, author, comedian, presenter, and writer Matt Lucas most recently played the role of Thénardier to great acclaim in the all-star production of Les Misérables: The Arena Concert Spectacular in many cities across the globe, as well as performing in the 40th Anniversary celebrations of the London production.
Matt Lucas is one of the most recognisable personalities in British television. He first came to prominence as George Dawes in the seminal comedy panel show Shooting Stars but is perhaps best known for co-creating the three-time BAFTA-winning BBC comedy Little Britain.
Matt has starred in numerous critically acclaimed projects, with film credits including Alice in Wonderland, Paddington, and Bridesmaids, TV credits including Doctor Who, and theatre projects including Les Misérables.
Additionally, Matt has created a string of bestselling children’s books, including Thank You, Baked Potato and his memoir Little Me. His debut children’s musical novel, The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards in 2024 and he has since released a new children’s novel, Bobland, continuing his success as an author for younger audiences.
Matt has previously co-hosted the award-winning The Great British Bake Off for Channel 4 and two series of Sky Max’s Fantasy Football. He also previously co-hosted the podcast Making A Scene with David Walliams, where they turned their guests’ lives into cinematic stories.
He starred alongside Timothée Chalamet in Wonka and more recently appeared in Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott, in the role of Master of Ceremonies.
Matt Lucas commented: “I’ve always wanted to appear in Oliver! It was the first West End musical I ever saw, aged 6, and I adored it. Apparently, despite my considerable range, I am considered slightly too old now to play the title role, so instead I shall be appearing as Fagin. It’s always a treat to reunite with Cameron, and, of course, to get the opportunity to work with Matthew Bourne. I love this incredible new production and am thrilled and honoured to now be a part of it.”
Cameron Mackintosh said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that the one and only Matt Lucas is going to bring his incomparable talent to the role of Fagin for six weeks from the end of September, while the dazzling Simon Lipkin takes a break from reviewing the situation as he becomes a father for the first time, to whom we send our best wishes. Matt has just triumphed as Thenardier in the LES MIS Arena Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall and will come to OLIVER! hot foot from being part of the upcoming all-star season of LES MIS at New York’s legendary Radio City Music Hall at the end of this month.”
Matt Lucas joins Ava Brennan as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell as Bill Sikes, Aaron MacGregor as the Artful Dodger, Oscar Conlon-Morrey as Mr. Bumble, Katy Secombe as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews as Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig, Jamie Birkett as Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin and Philip Franks as Mr. Brownlow. Mark Lockyer plays Mr. Brownlow from Tuesday 21 July.
Simon Lipkin, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for brilliantly reinventing the role of Fagin in this celebrated new production of Oliver! will continue in the role until Sunday 20 September, before resuming from Tuesday 3 November after the birth of his child.
The role of Oliver Twist is played by Isaac Hackett, James Miller, Thomas Newman and Jacob Sanders-Jones.
The ensemble includes Adam Boardman, Julie Cloke, Lois Craig, Harry Cross, Stephen John Davis, Will Elliott, Tom Andrew Hargreaves, Victoria Hay, Bethany Huckle, Jehu Josephs, Bethan Keens, Danny Lane, Conor McFarlane, Mia Mullarkey, Erin Oliver, Jasmine Sakyiama, Wendy Somerville, Charlie Stripp, Jamie Tyler, Lochlan White, Sienna Widd and Dane Young.
The younger roles in Fagin’s gang are shared by Titus Boniface, Nathaniel Morgan Bennett, Noelle Coker, Sebastian Castro, Liam England, Joshua Fowler, Jonah Mansell, Tristan Marwa, Tommy McGovern, Stanley Mould, Herb Muldoon, Jena Osman, Hugo Pechey, Josh Pegler, Charlie Ranganathan, Lawrence Sebastian, Eli Sesay, Sienna Sibley, Asher Swaray-Gray, Henry Thomas and Jake Weatherall.
Lionel Bart’s musical masterpiece, freely adapted from Charles Dickens' novel, Oliver! tells the story of the orphaned Oliver Twist, who escapes the harsh Victorian workhouse and takes refuge in London’s murky underworld with the wily gang leader Fagin and his team of resourceful pickpockets led by the Artful Dodger. He finds a friend in the kind-hearted Nancy and when he’s wrongly arrested for stealing, Oliver meets an unexpected saviour; but is happiness truly within his grasp?
With a sensational score, including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I’d Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah, As Long As He Needs Me and many more, the Olivier, Tony and Oscar-winning masterpiece vividly brings to life Dickens’ ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.
Produced and revised by Cameron Mackintosh, Oliver! is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne and co-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy. Designed by Lez Brotherston, lighting design is by Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design by George Reeve, new orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe based on the original by William David Brohn; music supervision is by Graham Hurman.
Oliver! is a Cameron Mackintosh in association with Chichester Festival Theatre production.
