The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film of the same name, written by Frank L Baum with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Hamburg. This youth production directed by Kingsley Roberts, had all the right ingredients presented by a talented group of mainly 6 to 14 year olds with some more senior members of Wymsical in support.

The central and well known character of ‘Dorothy Gale’ who lives on a farm in Kansas and believes she may lose her dog ‘Toto’ after it is alleged Toto bit the unpleasant ‘Almira Gultch’. Dorothy and Toto run away but interrupted by a Twister, Dorothy falls banging her head and in her dreams lands in Oz where she meets a number of different characters, some good and some not so good.

On the evening I attended, ‘Dorothy’ was played superbly by Sylvie Symons. Sylvie looked a perfect Dorothy, sang well and delivered the lines with a magical intonation that was totally convincing. ‘Toto’ was a perfect companion and could not have behaved better on stage, throughout the entire performance.

All the Kansas characters, from ‘Aunt Em’ (Ella Sutton for this performance), ‘Uncle Henry’ (Eddie Thomas), ‘Almira Gultch’ (Imogen Humphries), ‘Zeke’, ‘Hickory’, ‘Hunk’ (Lottie Gwinn, Amee Hall, Neave Lawson-Dallow) supported well, whilst Will McCrea as ‘Prof. Chester Marvell’ (and later the ‘Wizard of Oz’) was particularly strong.

Once ‘over the rainbow’ Dorothy met some more colourful characters, including ‘Glinda the Good Witch of the North’, portrayed and sang well by Megan Jones. Imogen Humphries added great characterisation to the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ in her attempts to thwart Dorothy and her new found friends, ‘Scarecrow’, ‘Tin Man’ and the ‘Cowardly Lion’. All three, played by Clara Davies, Jessica Young and Lucy Allsop respectively, held the stage with strength, projecting their characters with great charm, each triumphant in the end fulfilling their own desires to gain brains, a heart and courage.

Worcester Arts Workshop  does not have a huge acting space, but a unique one and the direction enabled every inch to be utilised including several entrances from the dressing areas, where quietness was well maintained ‘off stage’, so important in an intimate venue.

The set was simple and effective (I liked the effects in the Twister!) and all the youngsters were engaged in their varying roles with some expressive dancing and quick changes into some impressive costumes. Musical accompaniment (piano and drums) by Stephen Watkins and Lee Fisher was well controlled and full marks to the senior members of the group for adding some strong musical support.

Congratulations and my thanks for the invitation

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