If you’re looking for all the traditions of the classic 85 year old movie, or maybe you want something new and fresh from THE WIZARD OF OZ, well, you’ll get all of that and so much more if you’re off to the Wales Millennium Centre this week.
This is the first UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of the classic MGM musical featuring all the Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg songs we know and love but there’s also new songs and lyrics by Andrew and long time writing partner Tim Rice. Songs which I might add slot very nicely alongside the classics.
Everything about this production is slick, visually stunning and incredibly immersive. This show crashed onto the Donald Gordon stage as hard as Dorothy’s house flying all the way to Oz from Kansas. I defy anyone not to leave the theatre feeling like they witnessed something very special.
We’ve drawn the main prize in the raffle this week as CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD flies back into town as the Wicked Witch of the West, his final week on this current tour. And fresh from a sell out show at Cardiff Castle recently with his band mates JLS, ASTON MERRYGOLD is shining bright as the Tin Man.
First of all, let’s see what last night’s audience thought about the production – although I think you already know the answer to that one. We also caught up with Craig as he was greeted by fans in the main foyer.
The show couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The school holidays are in full swing, which means the entire family can get along to enjoy it together, which of course means that you will find it very difficult to get a ticket this week. If you are lucky enough to have a seat, I can tell you the sights, sounds and incredible production will take your breath away.
Usually at this point we’d tell you about the story, but as The Wizard of Oz has been on TV hundreds of times, across all networks, there’s a fair chance you have seen it at some time or other.
What you’ve seen in the movie is all here – Over The Rainbow, Follow The Yellow Brick Road and We’re Off To See The Wizard with Dorothy, Toto, and some friends she meets along her adventure down the yellow brick road to the merry old land of Oz.
Once we leave Kansas we’re taken on a journey which in itself feels almost cinematic. The use of digital projection is inspiring, and with a set skilfully worked around it, you feel like you are dragged into the action, a bit like watching a 3D movie almost.
When Dorothy lands in OZ, Dorothy, having crushed the Wicked Witch of the East with her tornado struck house, she is met by good-witch Glinda – who doesn’t fly on on her trusty broomstick but instead a ‘Barbie Pink” motorbike, much to the delight os the kids in the audience.
Although everything is very new and modern, there’s even the occasional mobile phone used on stage Munchkin land is unrecognisable; a futuristic city with none of the colourful appeal of other OZ adaptations. A prime example of ‘don’t fix what doesn’t need fixed’.
Dorothy is often hard red shoes to fill but AVIVA TULLEY is someone very special, with a voice which fills the massive auditorium. The rest of the company are all at the top of their game, supported with an incredible orchestra under the musical supervision of GEORGE DYER.
As you saw in our film above, everyone has their favourite character but as a complete show, everyone plays their part superbly. Craig however as the Wicked Witch of the West gets the most attention as the witch is pure evil, and we all love a baddie.
You may have seen Craig as Miss Hannigan recently, it seemed a lot of last night’s audience had. He really ramps up the nastiness here, growling and cackling his way through the show but with a singing voice which always takes those who’ve not seen him live by surprise. Incidentally, ALEX BOURNE who plays The Wizard was also in that production of Annie with Craig.
In fact there’s a few familiar faces for those of you who regularly visit the theatre. NIC GREENSHIELDS as The Cowardly Lion is a regular on the Les Misérables tour circuit and was last on the Donald Gordon stage as Javert in December 2022. For such an imposing figure he makes a superbly cowardly lion.
I really loved BENJAMIN YATES take on The Scarecrow, he was bendy and flexible (or floppy as one of our audience members said) and Aston was equally supple as he slipped in a few signature dance moves as The Tin Man. The comedy when these three were together was just what you’d you’d expect from a live version of the show and thankfully they managed to keep clear of making it pantomime like.
There was a moment when Scarecrow lost his straw filled arm and when the others were putting it back in place I coud see a little curl of the lip like they were about to corpse – they didn’t but it was a great moment.
EMILY BULL is the ultra-modern Glinda (and Aunty Em), tootling in on her pink motorbike. She delivers an outstanding performance on one of the new songs ‘Already Home’.
The of course we have Toto the dog. As with a lot of productions nowadays these are skilfully operated by a puppeteer actor, and Toto is no exception. For the briefest of moments you focus on ABIGAIL MATTHEWS who performs Toto but after that it is a dog on stage, such is the skill of Abigail. If you are going to the show this week pay attention to the movements and gestures Toto makes when the main action is happening elsewhere. Honestly, it’s very entertaining.
From the first note of the opening overture you really feel like you’re at home. The 2 hour plus journey we are then taken on is both familiar, and new and incredibly entertaining. This is very much The Wizard of Oz for today, with all the charm and heart of the original 1939 multi award-winning movie.
THE WIZARD OF OZ is at Wales Millennium Centre through till Sunday with performances at 7pm each evening (till Saturday) and a 2pm matinee on Saturday and Sunday. If you head over to the WMC website you’ll see that limited availability is showing for each performance and from what we can see it really is the odd single ticket you might be lucky to grab – HERE.
There’s an age guidance is 6+ with no admittance to under 6s. The show is around 2 hours and 20 including the break.
We also get another helping of the Oz fantasy when WICKED comes to the WMC from Thursday 24th October through to Saturday 23rd November. Once again the words moderate and limited availability is showing for a lot of the performances. If you’d like to check the details go HERE.
