A classic story told through generations since 1900, but with a few modern twists added
The show opened with a bang, grabbing the audience’s attention, and then setting the scene with a screen showing rural Kansas. The first 20 minutes were a little slow and hard to follow, but when it picked up it was a spectacular show of energy and fun. A particular favourite element of mine was the music. The instrumental sections highlighted the fantastic orchestra, but the singing was also superb. All round the cast was great but Dorothy, played by Aviva Tulley, was outstanding. Her performance of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ was both beautiful and powerful.
Some elements of the show didn’t quite hit the mark, I felt. Toto was portrayed as a puppet, with a puppeteer running alongside him throughout. The puppet itself was beautifully designed and made, and Abigail Matthews worked him very well, but the overall illusion didn’t really work as it was quite distracting to have a person bigger than the dog itself attached to him. Furthermore, compared to other shows I have seen, the set was underwhelming. I felt that whilst there was some clever use of mobile set and cinema, overall there was an over-use of screens and an under-use of set pieces which made it lose the sense of immersion I usually enjoy in theatre.
The dance numbers were fabulous. I was mesmerized by the synchronicity and energy, but the costumes certainly lifted them to another level. ‘The Merry Old Land of Oz’ was particularly good. The costume team beautifully designed and made numerous costumes, adding perfectly into the whimsical feeling of Dorothy’s dream, and the Wicked Witch of the West’s dress was dazzling.
I loved the characters of the Tin man and the Scarecrow. The way their physicality was directed and performed made them really feel like they were made of straw and metal. Aston Merrygold was brilliant as the Tin Man and definitely lived up to the expectations of his celebrity status. He was able to move so wonderfully robotically, which was all down to his amazing dance skills. Benjamin Yates stood out too – he was a fantastic scarecrow bringing comedy and a slapstick agile energy to the stage. Drag Race winner, The Vivienne, also lived up to her reputation and delivered a great Wicked Witch of the West; her makeup too was stunning.
Overall, this show was fun and had some fantastic performances, but the slow beginning and lacklustre set design meant it was not quite on par with other musicals.