Now in its 90th year, Newport Operatic Society never fails to play to its strength and the current production of Lionel Bart’s, Oliver certainly hit the right spot.

Always an audience winner, the musical combines familiar lyrics and catchy toe-tapping numbers with a heart-warming storyline. In the hands of this capable society it ticked all the boxes for a successful evening of musical theatre.

The production is a gift to any society in that it allows for a great number of lead character parts, and Xavier Clason-Morgan and Keegan Price as Oliver and Dodger certainly didn’t disappoint in two strong, sympathetic performances.

David Burgess proved an engaging Fagin (the character it always feels wrong to like) while James Lane conveyed just the right note of menace as Bill Sykes.

The caricatures of Mr Bumble (Chris Powell) Widow Corney (Helen Newton) and Mr and Mrs Sowerberry (Chris Edmunds and Dianne Hayes) brought just the right amount of comic relief, but it was the captivating performance of Ros Jones-Griffiths as Nancy that ultimately stirred the heart.

The production lifted each time that she and her companion Bet ( the extremely talented Cerys Hefferman) were onstage.

A well-crafted set provided an authentic backdrop to the action, but ultimately it was the enthusiasm and integrity of the large cast that made this a winner.

You have until Saturday to catch up with it