Working with a local community center in the Jordanian capital, the story has been updated to a modern Arab city. The production has been spearheaded by Charlotte Eager, a film producer and former journalist, and William Sterling, both of Refuge Drama Productions. 

In a press statement, Cameron Mackintosh — who licenses the show and has supported this production — commented, "Though Oliver! has continued to be a favourite musical with audiences the world over, I couldn't imagine a better way of presenting the story of Oliver Twist's contemporary relevance than this exciting and imaginative production performed by refugees and children who have had an even harder start to life than Oliver himself."

To support the largely amateur cast, the Mackintosh Foundation has helped to recruit talent from across the region, including director Khaled Abol Naga, Egyptian conductor Nayer Nagui and Disney's chief Arabic translator Zeinab Mobarak.



In a statement, Naga said, "We are aiming for an outcome that transforms the refugee and under-privileged children so they become a pride for society."