Exclamation Marks!
Last weekend I went to see 'Oliver!' in Derby. It was a fine show, full of urchins, smoke effects, cock-er-knee accents, and all the trimmings (including raffle). As the chorus warbled away, I couldn't help but ruminate on the exclamation mark that Lionel Bart so freely used in his title.
I guess it was to indicate that compared to the original book - plain 'Oliver' - his show was full of fun, life and excitement, thus 'Oliver!' It made me wonder whether any other classic works of fiction should be similarly enhanced upon their next editions for our modern, excitement-craving souls.
I suggest the first masterwork to receive this treatment should be Chekhov's gloomy study of agricultural shenanigans -
'The Cherry Orchard!'
Any other suggestions?



