‘Oliver Twist’ musical draws nearly 80,000 spectators in Tehran
The musical production ‘Oliver Twist’, directed by Hossein Parsaee and staged in Tehran, has drawn nearly 80,000 spectators since opening, the producers said.
The show, based on the 1838 novel by Charles Dickens and adapted into musical form in 1960, currently entertains approximately 6,000 patrons daily, the organizers added. It has been extended to three additional nights on November 12, 13 and 14, following strong demand.
In the spotlight, actor Hootan Shakiba plays the role of Fagin and receives standing ovations for his spontaneous interactions with the audience while reminding them that photography is prohibited. Clips of his improvisations have sparked a viral wave on social media.
The cast comprises more than 150 performers and technical crew members, including Shakiba alongside Behnoush Tabatabaei and Banipal Shamoon. With musical direction by the original composer Lionel Bart and dramaturgy by Mohammad Reza Koohestani, the updated production remains faithful to the earlier 2017 staging while incorporating new songs and stage design to reflect modern social‑inequality themes.
The producers emphasize that the staging at the large‑scale venue is among the biggest musical theater events in Iran this autumn.
Audience enthusiasm has been further amplified by the backstage appearance of acclaimed singer Alireza Ghorbani, whose visit has been widely shared and commented on in online forums.