It's A Funny Thing About Nancy In "Oliver Twist" And "Oliver!"

                                      On discussion threads pertaining to "Les Miserables," darlings, one sage asks the question, "Why are so many musicals about prostitutes that die?"

                                        Which is a strange way of looking at it, because it's not like musical theater is abounding with working girls.  I mean, Fantine is now probably the best known.  And there are some who don't die, like Charity in "Sweet Charity" (sanitized by Neil Simon to a dance hall hostess, rather than an actual prostitute, like  in the Fellini film "Nights Of Cabiria, but come on, honeys a dance hall hostess????? Uh huh!!!!!!!!!!!!), or Illya in "Illya, Darling!" (the musical version of the 1960 film "Never On Sunday!"), not to mention the title character in "Irma La Douce."

                                          One person mentioned "Evita", though, while she did sleep her way to the top, (like some queens I could name; that or kissing ass, figuratively or literally!!!) technically she was not a prostitute!

                                            Then one person brought up Nancy in "Oliver!" (or "Oliver Twist") which got me to thinking.  It's a finny thing, about Nancy.  It was not  until I read "Oliver Twist" as an adult that I got it  (especially from reading the Introduction by whomever in whatever edition I read) that Nancy was/ is a prostitute.  If you look at Shani Wallis (pictured above) in the 1968 film version of the musical, "Oliver!" you get the impression Nancy is a barmaid who waits tables and serves drinks.  Which she may, and not that barmaids do not turn tricks.  But in "Oliver!" (which I was taken to see at the tender age of 13) the word prostitute is never mentioned.  Maybe because the musical is, understandably, sanitized for children and families ("Oliver!" like its almost gender counterpart, "Annie," is considered one of those child-centric musicals!!!!), though, in retrospect, I think Nancy's florid dress and exposed cleavage are supposed to be clues.  But at this young time I never picked up on that.

                                              And unlike Victor Hugo, who was up front, Dickens in his writing was a bit genteel.  You have to read between the lines in the book to get that Nancy is a prostitute, because that word, or any of its derivatives, is never mentioned.  Just like in "David Copperfield;" where Martha Endell is first an outcast of the village, like Fantine, and for the same reason (giving herself to a man outside of marriage).  Her persecution causes her to flee to London, where she disappears into the slums, only to be rescued from having becoming a prostitute (which is inferred) by Little Em'ly and the Pegottys.  And Little Em'ly undergoes  something similar; seduced by Steerforth's charms (I believe he was a sociopath) she is seduced and abandoned by him, and almost suffers the same fate as Martha, when she goes to London to find her, before the Pegottys rescue them both.  Dickens just never spells it out, just like with Agnes Wickfield (the novel's Soul of Goodness) he does not come and state outright that she is Literature's Greatest Enabler, because she allows her clearly (but again not stated) alcoholic father, Judge Wickffield,  to  drink himself into a stupor every night, while taking care of him!

                                           It took me years of life experience before I understood all this, which is one of many reasons for reading and rereading Dickens!  One sure does not get this take in high school!  At least, my generation certainly did not!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           But prostitutes as the cornerstones of musical theater!?????  Oh, come on; get over it!
The cornerstone of musical theater is top roles for females, and the queens who want to play them !!!! (And just wait till you see my "Funny Girl" or Mama Rose in "Gypsy!").

                                           Such ideas are akin to conspiracy  theories, and these folk need to get a grip!  Or a life of their own!

                                             Besides, the only REAL prostitutes in musical theater are those paying customers who pay three figures and invest their time in watching such crap as "American Idiot" or
"Spring Awakening!"

                                              Better to be on some street corner, you tasteless twits!  Or on Craigslist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!