The Wizard of Oz, Birmingham Hippodrome, 12 June 2024, ‘till 16 June 2024 then on tour until 11 August 2024, 5✩✩✩✩✩. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.

The Wizard of Oz, Birmingham Hippodrome, 12 June 2024, ‘till 16 June 2024 then on tour until 11 August 2024.

5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.

“An energetic and current realisation of this classic story.”

This is a very current show that still honours and respects to its source material; the classic 1930s film of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ story. An achievement, pulled off largely due to clever use of video projection. Actual scenery is kept to a telling minimum, with much of the show’s visual impact delivered by a fluid and imaginative video narrative on a front of stage gauze and the back cloth.

During the opening scenes, rather beautifully composed images place the action chronologically in The Great Depression, and geographically in the Middle American Dust Bowl. The colour palette is washed out, costumes grey and grim. Aviva Tulley, a charming, vulnerable but feisty Dorothy, delivers a big-voiced, big-hearted rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow. So far, so quite traditional.

When the action transfers to Oz, however, we are suddenly in a quite different,  bonkers,  but still very recognisable new world. Cleverly, video designer Douglas O’Connell presents the Wizard’s Kingdom as a twisted and, at times, rather nightmarish version of Middle America. Munchkin land is a cartoonish version of a classic small town high street. And Dorothy’s journey down the Yellow Brick Road is a madcap road trip through dust-red landscape populated with dilapidated diners, rundown gas stations, and seedy motels.

Visual gags and word play abound, and the aesthetic feels like something out of a smart, and rather post-apocalyptic video game. The visual storytelling moves at speed, giving the show an irresistible energy and momentum that is more than matched by the cast.

Musical arrangements have the good sense to leave alone what needs to be left alone and update what needs pepping up. Dorothy’s three travelling companions are delineated with their own musical generic signatures. So we have a Country and Western Scarecrow, a masterclass in understated campery from Benjamin Yates. Aston Merrygold is a cool hip-hop Tin Man. And man-mountain Nic Greenshields gives us a disco Cowardly Lion. They all play their characters for every laugh available, but still manage to bring heart and pathos to the table when the story calls for it.

Throughout, the production knowingly references modern trends and tropes, and makes a lot of metatextual reference to the original film. All of this knowingness means that when we get the inevitable ‘Strictly’ references form Craig Revel Horwood, they are not too jarring or pantomimish. Mr Revel Horwood eschews the Grand Guignol melodrama of Margaret Hamilton’s original Wicked Witch to give us wall-of-energy, scenery-chewing DIVA. Simply Fab-U-Lous.

Athletic choreography enlivens the big production numbers but, to be honest, the show never seems to stop dancing along. When it comes to the flamboyant Oz costumes, designer Rachael Canning doesn’t shy away from going totally over the top. Taken as a whole, it’s as wonderful as the Wizard himself.

Cast

Ms Gulch & Wicked Witch of the West – Craig Revel Horwood

Dorothy – Aviva Tulley

The Scarecrow – Hunk – Benjamin Yates

The Tin Man & Hickory – Aston Merrygold

The Cowardly Lion & Zeke – Nic Greenshields

Professor Marvel & The Wizard – Allan Stewart

Glinda & Aunt Em – Emily Bull

Toto – Abigail Matthews

Uncle Henry – David Burrows

Creatives

Music – Harold Arlen

Lyrics – E. Y. Harburg

Additional Music – Andrew Lloyd Webber

Additional Lyrics – Tim Rice

Orchestrations – David Cullen

Director – Nikolai Foster

Choreographer – Shay Barclay

Sets – Colin Richmond

Costumes and Puppets – Rachael Canning

Video Designer – Douglas O’Connell