We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. And the Wizard is not very elusive, he’s closer than you think – he can be seen at The Palladium in London.
First shown in London in 2012, The Wizard of Oz is back, and bigger than ever. Now we get Georgina Onuorah as Dorothy. Onuarah previously played this role in Leicester and was also Ado Annie in Oklahoma – she’s experienced, and it shows. And while she can sing (she sure belted out the classic ‘Over the Rainbow’), she doesn’t quite win us over. But we do fall in love with the Tin Man (Ashley Banjo) – who desires a heart, the Scarecrow (Louis Grant) – who wants brains, and especially the Cowardly Lion (Jason Manford) – who wants courage. Manford just nails it with his facial and bodily expressions making the Lion oh so adorable and loveable.
As we all know the story – the tornado rips up Dorothy’s house (the effects are more video and not visual), and we are treated to spectacular scenery (Munchkinland, the fields of Kansas, and especially the yellow brick road) with costumes to boot! And the accompanying supporting ensemble play all sorts of characters, winningly.
A couple extra scenes are thrown in that are not part of the original story, perhaps to make it longer. As the interval ends, Dorothy and her gang of misfits are tasked with having to kill the Wicked Witch of the Wast in order to get their wishes granted. Once they do (the death scene of the Wicked Witch of the West is not played out very wel), the short second half (40 minutes) quickly wraps up the show, and Dorothy is back home with Toto (puppet handled with precision and skill by Ben Thompson – give him an award – now) and off Dorothy trots into the sunset rainbow. And we’re for the exits.