The Wizard Of Oz

I had seen the film of the Wizard of Oz many years ago. This was my first experience of it as a stage production. I found it very remarkable. The scenery was largely provided by a huge screen at the back of the stage featuring amazing photographic images cleverly manipulated to reveal various backgrounds. These ranged from the grasslands of Kansas to the originality of the land of Oz. This device was incredibly realistic and had been achieved by two members of the company. The four main characters: Dorothy, Tinman, Scarecrow and Lion were played extremely well. I lked Colette Buchanan-Gray's portrayal of the Emerald City Guard while Trish Burgess's Wicked Witch of the West was suitably evil. I enjoyed the dance routines, all of which fitted in nicely with the action being featured. The Munchkins and other juvenile players did well and the adults all contributed to the success of this show. The costumes were fine and the various effects were in good hands. The twelve-piece orchestra accompanied very well, though occasionally the underscored music was a little over- loud. This is only a minute criticism of an extremely good show. Well done.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.