APPENDIX C Ron Moody and Georgia Brown Conflict The conflict between Ron Moody (Fagin) and Georgia Brown (Nancy) during the first year of the original London run of Oliver! is fairly inconsequential in the greater scheme of the musical’s biography and therefore did not seem to warrant discussion in the body chapters of this text. Nevertheless, the dispute between these two gifted performers has been documented elsewhere—most notably, in Moody’s autobiog- raphy—and merits a basic acknowledgment. Moody’s tendency toward comical im- provisation had previously brought him into conflict with Lionel Bart (see Chapter 6), and although Moody was capable of provoking tremendous laughter from audiences with his comedic embellishments, Bart was frustrated that such laughter seemed to distract from the show’s narrative. Though Bart also objected to the overly “ethnic” elements of the actor’s performance, Moody was adamantly opposed to turning Fagin into the stereotypical Jewish monster depicted in Dickens’s novel and Lean’s film. By playing up the character’s comicality, Moody felt he was supplementing Bart’s vision by making Fagin fundamentally likable, engaging, and human; as he explained in a later interview, “I kept developing Fagin, changing Lionel’s words until I got laughs. So he got cross with me. He said: ‘You have to change the words back to how they were on the first night.’ I said: ‘If you do that, you won’t get any laughs.’ Instead of being grateful, Lionel was offended.”1 Bart quickly grew frustrated with Moody’s un- willingness to commit to an established performance routine. Still, the very notion of a routine was antithetical to Moody’s view that a comedic performance is nebulous and constantly developing.2 Moody’s tendency to ad lib likewise created strife with Georgia Brown, who felt as though Moody, by improvising “laughs,” was deliberately upstaging her. Though Fagin and Nancy do not share much stage time, they are both featured in some of the show’s most memorable moments, including the sequence that introduces Nancy—which features two of her songs in “It’s a Fine Life” and “I’d Do Anything”—and the opening of Act II at the Three Cripples. Generally, Nancy is the focal point of these scenes. Fagin does not sing during “It’s a Fine Life” and “Oom Pah Pah,” and he only sings briefly toward the end of “I’d Do Anything.” Fagin and Nancy likewise share an intense scene toward the end of Act II, when Oliver is brought back to the thieves’ kitchen. ( 1 ) (2) Appendix C This final scene proved to be the most contentious in the Brown-Moody conflict, for Moody wanted to explore the scene’s potentially humorous moments through improvisation. Conversely, Brown was trying to capture the angst and hysteria of the scene, which marked a critical, dramatic moment in her character’s development.3 From the beginning of the rehearsal period, Moody objected to Brown’s “heavy” ap- proach to Nancy, and to the melodramatic tenor of the scene.4 Given that his own approach to Fagin was based around comicality and levity, Moody generally detested the more intense and dramatic moments in the play, for such moments ran counter to his very conception of both his character and the adaptation. In spite of protestations from Brown, Moody began to incorporate jokes and laughs into the confrontation scene, and indeed into the other scenes featuring Nancy’s interactions with the boys.5 What should have been a minor disagreement quickly degenerated into an all-out feud in which both actors repeatedly did what they could to try to upstage one another during their shared scenes. The spring of 1961 marked the apex of the conflict, as the backstage controversy began to emerge onstage throughout the month of April. The fact that this conflict transpired in front of audiences is somewhat shocking, for as Donald Albery noted in a letter to Moody, “whatever the rights or wrongs are of a dispute or any other feeling there may be be- tween two artists, it is absolutely an inviolable rule that this must not show on the stage.”6 Nevertheless, the quality of the show was soon compromised by the conflict, and the stage manager’s report gravely noted that “the Ron Moody Georgia Brown feud is now sufficiently bitter and total to result in serious damage to their scenes together.”7 Albery, eager to find a diplomatic solution, tried to characterize the situation as little more than a series of misunderstandings that could be rectified so long as both sides were willing to compromise and cooperate: “I presume that things which may appear irritating to one person would not necessarily be so to another. We are here unfortunately dealing with the human element and I am quite sure that compar- atively minor sacrifices and a certain amount of goodwill should enable at least a tolerable working arrangement to be resumed.”8 The production team worked with both Brown and Moody to draw up a mock contract (see Table C.1) in which each per- former outlined the various practices that had so offended the other. This contract is an interesting historical document as it provides insight into what exactly was transpiring onstage between the two performers and how such behavior was detracting from Oliver! Tellingly, a great many jokes and improvisations relating to Fagin were ultimately cut, though Moody had his own complaints and require- ments regarding Brown’s performance that did not make it into the contract, in- cluding her trying to obscure him from view during “Oom Pah Pah” and her attempts to break his concentration during his subsequent dialogue with the Artful Dodger.9 Ironically, Moody was most annoyed with Brown’s using a Yiddish accent during the controversial Act II thieves’ den confrontation: “When I said the lines ‘Why Nancy you’re wonderful today, such talent, such an actress’ she said her lines mimicking my gestures and in a mock Jewish accent, an action which is really insufferable from someone who is herself Jewish.”10 Moody’s annoyance seems oddly reminiscent of Bart’s own frustrations regarding Moody’s increasingly Yiddish performance. Table C.1. MAJOR CONDITIONS OF MOODY/BROWN “CONTRACT” Nancy Clauses Fagin Clauses Neutral Clauses Nancy’s curtsey fall on intro to Fagin’s fall backwards off the No artist must indulge in Oliver is permissible. stool during introductory uttering personal insults dialogue to “I’d Do Anything” to other artistes on stage must be omitted. such as “you’re mad” etc. Nancy must not put her Fagin must omit “gentleman to No extra business may be handkerchief back in her the core” gag. inserted by any artist at bosom after wiping the the curtain calls as origi- stool in 1st verse of “I’d Do nally rehearsed. Anything” but must allow Fagin to snatch it from Dodger. Nancy must not mimic Fagin During Fagin’s lines “Nancy The objective of all artistes in her speech following “civil you’re wonderful today, what at the end of “I’d Do words” speech. an actress” he is not permitted Anything” is to form one to use elaborate finger gestures group, on no account in front of her face. must artistes do anything to split the group into 2 and to individualise the effect. Nancy’s curtsey fall must never Fagin’s exit during 3 Cripples On no account must per- be omitted. scene must never be later than sonal antagonism be was originally plotted. conveyed to the audience during a performance. On no account must Nancy and Fagin must not insert laughs 2nd Thieves [sic] Kitchen Bet leave the Thieves [sic] during Nancy-Dodger verse of scene must be performed Kitchen before their exit cue. I’d Do Anything” as last rehearsed with the director as regards moves and positions. Fagin must not ad-lib the Oliver Fagin must try to part Nancy introduction to Nancy nor and Sikes during quarrel move down stage to put his in 2nd Thieves’ Kitchen spit gag across the front of her. and Nancy must allow herself to be parted. The line “What, on the floor again” delivered by Fagin in the 2nd Thieves [sic] Kitchen must be omitted. Mr. Moody must not improvise sections of the 1st Thieves [sic] Kitchen scene and on no account must the dialogue be changed as it is in the prompt script. (Continued) (4) Appendix C Table C.1. CONTINUED Nancy Clauses Fagin Clauses Neutral Clauses Fagin must not make bird like “toot-toot’s” [sic] during “Fine Life” or “I’d Do Anything.” Fagin must omit “well bred” gag when he is using bread. There must be no backwards fall of [sic] the stool by Fagin during “I’d Do Anything”. Fagin must not mimic Nancy during “Oom-pah-pah” [sic] Fagin must not sing a counter point of “Fine Life” during the song. Ron Moody/Georgia Brown “Contract.” Sir Donald Albery Collection, DAT 196.001. Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin. Regardless, the “contractual” agreement, though hardly a legally binding docu- ment, was put forth with the hope that both parties would agree to stop antago- nizing one another for the greater good of the show. Despite Albery’s efforts, the producer was eventually forced to consider more drastic measures for gaining control of the situation, and the involvement of the London Theatre Council only served to further anger and alienate Moody.11 In fact, the bad blood between Moody and Brown remained up through Moody’s departure from the play a few months later, though its impact on the quality of the show seems to have dissipated after the espe- cially tense period in April 1961.