re: fagin as the ward of the (?) orphans

[SICULAR <SICULAR...>]

well, since Fagin in Oliver! is also the slightly warped figure he is, being 
created by a queer writer who likes the character but nonetheless sees him as 
full of conflicted interests, I will put this out there:  he is indeed 
nurturing the boys in this way, and does keep a roof over their heads, feeds 
them and lives as badly as they do, while still garnering secret treasure ... 
and yet also perhaps can even be read as having a repressed eye for those 
boys as it were.  not the Dodger, per se -- their partnership is clearly 
pragmatic; and yet in the film, once Fagin and his gang have fled the hideout 
lair and Fagin reprises "Reviewing the Situation" (contemplating going 
straight, from his criminal life, to "get myself a wife"... he can't quite 
fact that prospect in the end), it is Dodger who stands on a street corner 
and metaphorically/musically seduces him back to their old life of crime.

one more pickpocket/orphan note [cf costumes as seen in the film]:  the 
proto-mod look of the old Victorian finery in a motley mix & match is by the 
way very much in evidence on the many cute adolescent boy actors in Fagin's 
pickpocket den.  this is not to be confused with the slightly younger boys in 
the orphanage scenes in their grey uniforms (we don't know whether Fagin's 
boys are actually orphans).

I haven't seen this version, but I think the revival of the show stars that 
famous Australian drag queen actor as Fagin (the one whose Dame Edna 
character has run for decades), Barry --? can't remember his name.  He's 
supposedly quite good.  A kleyne velt.

- Eve

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