Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that West End star ‘Russ Abbot’ will play ‘Fagin’ alongside Kerry Ellis as ‘Nancy’ and Steven Hartley as ‘Bill Sikes’ in the triumphant new production of Lionel Bart’s smash hit musical OLIVER! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from Monday 14 June 2010. Stephen Moore will also join the cast as ‘Mr Brownlow’ from the same date. Russ and Stephen replace Griff Rhys Jones and Julian Glover respectively when they leave the show on Saturday 12 June 2010 at the end of their contracts. 

Russ Abbot is no stranger to the role of ‘Fagin’, having played the role to considerable acclaim at the London Palladium in 1997 and again triumphantly on tour around the UK and in Toronto the following year. Russ also stepped in to save the day earlier last year when he played the role for two weeks at the Theatre Royal Drury lane covering Rowan Atkinson who took early holiday for an operation. Russ is probably best known for his TV comedy programme, "The Russ Abbot Show", which enjoyed more than ten series on different channels, but his varied career has also encompassed releasing a single "Atmosphere", which made it into the top ten, as well as television success with "September Song", "Married for Life", "Mad House" and "TV to Go". He was also known as the face of Hamlet cigars. His many awards include Top Variety Act at the 1990 British Comedy Awards. Last year, Russ joined the cast of "Last of the Summer Wine".  Despite his television fame, Abbot is no stranger to the West End having starred in shows such as Neil Simon’s "Little Me", Willy Russell’s "One for the Road" and the 2001 farce "Caught in the Net", Ray Cooney's sequel to "Run for Your Wife". His other musical credits include the title role in the UK tour of "Doctor Dolittle", Alfred P Doolittle in the multi award-winning revival of Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady" at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Grandpa Potts in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"  at the London Palladium and Roger De Bris in the UK tour of "The Producers".

Stephen Moore’s National theatre credits include "Enemy of the People", "Plenty" and "Bedroom Farce" (also Broadway). His West End credits include ‘Colonel Pickering’ in "My Fair Lady" at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and "Festen". He was most recently seen as ‘Hector’ in the National Theatre’s tour of "The History Boys". His film credits include "The Boat That Rocked", "Brassed Off" and "Clockwise". He is best known to television audiences as ‘Kevin’s Dad’ in "Harry Enfield and Chums". His other television credits include "New Tricks" and "Doc Martin" and "Middlemarch".