The Artful Dodger 2023 [review]

The character the Artful Dodger is someone who I admit, I’ve forgotten about — and, like a lot of Charles Dickens’ characters and novels that they exist in he has been constantly reframed in the contemporary lens through reedition of movies, books, plays and TV series since he was birthed into the fictional Victorian London.

For whoever hasn’t seen a version of Oliver Twist in recent years, allow me to prompt your memory. Jack Dawkins, during the novel was caught, put in prison and then sentenced to transportation to 1850s Australia.

15-year pass, and Dawkins has solidified his presence as an young talented surgeon living and working in the colony of Port Victory, however, still a product of his environment and a victim of his social class despite his new profession — the opening scene we witness Dawkins’ playing a unsolicited card game, and fall short.

Taken inspiration from the book, the TV series The Artful Dodger sees the reunion of Jack Dawkins and his estranged father figure Fagin, who untimely turns up with a shipment of new convicts — upending his Dawkins’s life.

Staring Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the Dodger and David Thewlis as the ambiguously natured Fagin, the series was created by James McNamara, David Maher and David Taylor and draws lightly from Dickens’ famous novel Oliver Twist

The relationship between Dawkins and Fagin is at the centre of the series, Jack expresses his angry and more unsaid, the hurt felt in the abandonment left over Fagin leaving him in prison as a child.

Fagin desires reconciliation, however, there are suggestions and teases throughout that his intentions darken with the possibility of requiring freedom and wealth.

Revolting around this, is plots of thievery, get rich schemes, social climbing and the scientific discovery.

As the exploration of subjects such as the treatment and marginalisation of women to either the home space if they are of high social class or to roles perceived as less important and not as intellectually stimulating such as a nurse to a doctor.

Australia’s ingeniousness past and the historical context behind it is also timidly explored — reflected through characters like Tim and Lady Red, subjects that I wish were looked at more deeply, even though there were moments when the importance of language as a form of remembering was hinted.

The rest of the story unfolding over 8 episodes.

From the very beginning there is something thrilling about the intensity of the show, the sound of jeers and shouts of men provide the impression that you are at a live show, which is encouraged further by the choice of rock music played during the scene.

Presented as a brightly lit open world, casual violence is demonstrated with indifference and sly deceit is executed with theatrical showmanship.

The series also does well in internals to provide glimpses via Jack’s flashbacks to the brutality of war but also the tenderness and compassion he learnt as a doctor.

“This isn’t London Jack, there’s nowhere to hide”, Darius Cracksworth, played by actor Tim Minchin warns.

There is also love.

We watch the natural attraction, and genuine falling in love of Jack and Belle, the governors oldest daughter, played by Maia Mitchell, as they bound over their love of medicine, the pair enjoy moments of gentleness and flirtation but also tension.

And of course, the shadow of Oliver Twist, is forever looming.