''Escape of the Artful Dodger'' is an Australian

children's television series Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...

first screened on the

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

in 2001. ''Escape of the Artful Dodger'' is the story of

Jack Dawkins Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist''. The Dodger is a pickpocket, so called for his skill and cunning in that occupation. He is the leader of the gang of child criminal ...

, who was introduced in the classic

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

novel ''

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...

''. The Artful Dodger is a fast-talking, nimble-fingered young pick-pocket in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, whose voyage to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

presents an opportunity to escape from his old life of being a crook, to become a hero.

Plot

Having been deported to Australia along with fellow crook, Will Grady while Oliver Twist and Hannah Schuller are on their way to join up with Hannah's brother, Michael, Dodger and his new friends find themselves facing obstacles along the way, namely, the tyranny and cruelty of the corrupt officer, Sergeant Bates.

Cast

Luke O'Loughlin Luke O'Loughlin (born 23 December 1985) is an Australian musician and former actor. O'Loughlin was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to former model Tanya Powell of Tanya Powell Model Agency, and is a graduate of University Senior College. ...

as Dodger * Rowan Witt as

Brittany Byrnes Brittany Anne Byrnes (born 31 July 1987) is an Australian actress. Her most notable acting role has been Charlotte Watsford in '' H2O: Just Add Water''. Personal life Byrnes was born in Australia and trained in all aspects of dance at the Br ...

as Hannah Schuller * Simon Scarlett as Wild Will Grady * Barry Langrishe as Sergeant Bates *

Mathew Waters Mathew John Waters (born 29 May 1989) is an Australian actor best known for his roles in ''Round the Twist'', '' Snobs'', '' The Pacific'', ''Peter Pan'' and the original cast of the musical ''The Boy From Oz'', where he played the roles of ...

as Scratch *

Henri Szeps Henri Szeps OAM, (born 2 October 1943) alternatively Henry Szeps, is an Australian character actor of theatre and television. He has also featured in films and worked in voice roles, and has worked in productions in the United Kingdom. Early ...

as Dr. Hartman * Phillip Hinton as

Mr. Brownlow Mr Brownlow is a character from the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. Brownlow is a bookish and kindly middle-aged bachelor who helps Oliver escape the clutches of Fagin. He later adopts Oliver Twist by the end of the novel. T ...

* Maggie Blinco as Mrs Posset * Kate Sherman as Becky * Christopher Baz as

Fagin Fagin is a fictional character and the secondary antagonist in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist''. In the preface to the novel, he is described as a "receiver of stolen goods". He is the leader of a group of children (the Artful Dod ...

* Bill Conn as Mr Butterfield * Aurora Voss as Kelly * Shane Briant as Colonel Springs * Richard Wilson as Lord Edward Tuxley

References

External links

*
Aus TV Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Escape Of The Artful Dodger 2001 Australian television series debuts 2001 Australian television series endings Australian children's television series Nine Network original programming Television shows based on Oliver Twist 2000s children's television series Television series about orphans

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links