The cast’s family and friends are guaranteed bums on seats; but it’s still a big venue to fill. So is the show worth seeing if you’re neither?
I think so. The script is solid; a simple story of how friendship conquers all. The Wizard is long gone, leaving the different corners of Oz under the stewardship of the Scarecrow, Lion and Tinman.
There’s no Wicked Witch of the East, crushed by Dorothy Gale’s house during her first visit to Oz, but the Wicked Witch of the West is back. Out for revenge, she steals the jewel containing the spirit of Christmas from the Emerald City and Dorothy is summoned from Kansas to help get it back.
It feels like a L Frank Baum story and the festive elements don’t feel contrived; although the finale feels more like a concert. Not a bad thing when the performances are so good.
The set is simple but striking, backed by a video wall that transports you all over Oz and allows the company to employ some magical effects. It’s used cleverly, rather than a gimmick or storytelling shortcut. There are some fun practical sleights of hand too, which I won’t spoil.
Both are complemented by the lighting and sound design, some wonderful costumes and the 13-piece orchestra. The musical numbers are choreographed well and benefit from the scale of the world-famous concert hall’s stage.
Principal actors Thomas Haigh as the Scarecrow, Haydn Ingram as the Tinman, Chris Evans as the Lion, Lizzie Tyte as the Wicked Witch of the West, Amanda Langley as the Good Witch of the North and Louise Yule as the Good Witch of the South are great fun. It’s Courtney Yule as Dorothy who impresses the most, attacking the role with gusto.
I watched the dress rehearsal, so obviously there was still some tightening up here and there. There was no real audience either, just me and a handful of company members. It was an energetic run-through but having a packed auditorium to play to will pay dividends for the cast.
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