The Wizard of Oz isn’t one of the shows that I would typically be banging down a door to see and I missed it for that reason when it was at the Palladium but when the chance came up to see it at New Wimbledon Theatre I thought I may as well give it a go….and boy am I glad I did.

This production of the Wizard of Oz is unlike any production of it that I have seen before, in the best possible way. The pace is quick, the energy is high, the set is eye catching and the cast are superb…but let me break that down a bit. This version of the Wizard of Oz is actually the 3rd musical adaptation of the movie musical, this time with additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Following a televised search for Dorothy it hit London in 2011. Fast forward 12 years at the show was revived in the West End and is now on tour across the country.

The pace is always incredibly important when it comes to family friendly shows and whilst the running time is just over 2 hours including an interval the show speeds along at a great tempo leaving very few moments to get fidgety in. On top of that nearly every scene has at least 1 number in it and this show is packed full of huge production numbers that are a feast for the eye. The traditional songs such as ‘Over the Rainbow’ are in the show and delivered beautifully but these traditional moments are sandwiched in between fresh moments for todays audience which works perfectly for this show. The choreography by Shay Barclay was non stop and he ensured that there was different choreographic styles for the different parts of the journey as well as very different movements for the the different characters.

The cast are top notch for this production of the Wizard of Oz. I was treated to The Vivienne’s Wicked Witch of The West and was in awe of how she commanded the stage. Her characterisation, dance and vocals were all spot on for this role and her number ‘Red Shoe Blues’ was a real highlight of the show. Aviva Tulley played Dorothy with a huge amount of gumption and a moder feel yet her voice harked back to Judy Garland. Benjamin Yates as The Scarecrow, Marley Fenton as the Tin Man and Nic Greenshields as the Cowardly Lion formed a formidable trio who were all individually stunning and brought something new to their interpretations but together they were an absolute joy on stage.

The technical elements of the show really enhance the production. The set design by Colin Richmond combined with clever video design by Douglas O’Connell created a memorable effect on stage. In particular I enjoyed how they portrayed the yellow brick road set wise and the additional choreography choices this gave them. The costumes by Rachel Canning were another delight and I lost count of the number of costume changes the ensemble had, from their zany costumes as residents of Oz to the Winkie’s coats.

This tour of the Wizard of Oz is one which takes a much loved story but makes it feel fresh and relevant to todays audience with upbeat and varied choreography, a feast for the eyes in set and costume and casting that works brilliantly on an individual level but even better when combined.

The Wizard of Oz is playing until 16th March at New Wimbledon Theatre and continues its tour from there. To find out more visit their website.

If you like this review you might like my review for Operation Mincemeat, I Should Be So Lucky and Jesus Christ Superstar.