Bringing the House Down

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Birmingham Hippodrome, Wednesday 12^th June 2024

The much beloved film version of L Frank Baum’s classic novel has so many elements that have entered the public consciousness, any stage version had better proceed with caution.

This revamp doesn’t seek to copy the movie, and this proves a wise move.  The setting is brought forward from the time of the novel to the time when the film came out: 1930s dustbowl America.  We don’t get a black-and-white opening, but what we do get are sweeping aerial shots of the Kansas landscape, projected on the curtain during the overture.  Throughout the rest of the show, video projection is used artfully, principally on the cyclorama but also on other scenic elements: the cyclone scene, for example, becomes an all-encompassing cascade of visuals.  When the projections work at their best is when they tie in with practical scenery and the actions of the cast.

So, it’s an extremely effective show in terms of visuals and – I have to say it – in terms of everything else.  Production values are higher than Dorothy’s house in the storm.

Dorothy herself is brought to life by the remarkable Aviva Tulley.  Her version of Over The Rainbow, near the top of the show, is stunning.  It’s the best song in the piece and Tulley makes it entirely her own.  She brings the house down, you might say…

Headlining is Craig Revel Horwood as the Wicked Witch of the West, but this is not just a case of stunt casting.  Horwood, as the nasty Ms Gulch, quickly establishes himself as a fine character actor.  Later, his Witch is a glamorous, camp creation, gravelly voiced (where the film’s version was famously squawky).  Horwood keeps to the right side of pantomime villain.  Even the odd nods to his celebrity (a ‘Sev-ennn!’ and a ‘Fab-u-lous!’) don’t quite break the fourth wall.  He can carry a tune too, and of course, the moves go without saying.  A star turn.

The other name on the poster is JLS’s Aston Merrygold, appearing as the Tin Man.  Because the production design is all dystopian Americana, he is more robotic than usual.  Cue some excellent moves, although he doesn’t get a real opportunity to show off his vocal talents.

The structure of the plot means the Tin Man is overshadowed by the Scarecrow – here a saucy, camp cowboy in the form of the beautiful Benjamin Yates.  Yates, an excellent song-and-dance man, turns out to be something of a scene-stealer – until the Cowardly Lion shows up, a toweringly larger-than-life performance by Nic Greenshields, more of a cuddly Wookiee than a lion.  Yates and Greenshields provide most of the comedy, fast becoming audience favourites (or mine, at least!).

Special mention must be made of Abigail Matthews who operates the Toto puppet, rounding out the character in its own right.  Magically, Matthews seems to disappear and we only watch the dog.

There is strong support from Emily Bull as a motorcycle riding Glinda and Aunt Em, David Burrows as Uncle Henry, and Allan Stewart as Professor Marvel and the eponymous Wizard.

There are additional songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, and while Rice’s lyrics are recognisably clever and Lloyd Webber’s musical phrasings are suitably dramatic, these new numbers can’t match the sheer unadulterated charms of Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg’s original score.

The well-known story, the much loved characters, and the famous lines of dialogue, are all present and correct in this vibrant production that makes the material seem absolutely fresh.

Magical.

Scarecrow, I’ll miss you most of all.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Straw blimey! Benjamin Yates shows us what he’s made of

Photo: Marc Brenner