The Wizard of Oz performed at The London Palladium opened on the 23 June 2023 and I was very lucky to receive two tickets as a Christmas present. I’ve been impatiently waiting to follow the yellow brick road to London and witness the spectacular show in person. I was very fortunate that my tickets were for the second day of performances – usually like gold dust to get! As I settled into my seat in the front row of the Grand Circle I was ready to be amazed, entertained and immersed in the iconic story of Dorothy and the land of Oz.
Lights, Camera, Review…
The cast of The Wizard of Oz had many familiar faces such as comedian Jason Manford, and Ashley Banjo to name a few and a whole cast of extraordinary performers ready to take centre stage and dazzle. I enjoyed Manford’s performance as the Cowardly Lion and I was not expecting him to embody the character and take on this role in such a compelling and immersive way. He took this iconic and well-loved character and became a funny and heroic member of Dorothy’s entourage. Another character that stood out in Dorothy’s group was the Scarecrow played by Louis Gaunt, who embodied the character in a likeable and energetic manner. Similarly, Dorothy played by Georgina Onuorah had enchanting vocals that brought these well-loved and iconic songs to life on stage. A special mention to Anshley Banjo, as a the tin man who made the robotic movements of the character smooth and fluid emphasising his talents as a dancer. As ever, I always gravitate towards the villains of any musical who always have the most fun, wicked and devious songs. This performance was no different, the Wicked Witch of the West played by Dianne Pilkington embodied the mischief and chaos of the character. I was eagerly awaiting her appearance on stage. Her perfect blend of evil and child-like delight throughout songs such as Red Shoes Blues showcased the chaotic evil of the witch.
The set design has a blend of old and modern that was sympathetic to the original 1939 version and touches of modern and re-designed aspects, such as the Wicked Witch of the West’s minions with a motorbike chic design. Also elements of Glinda’s pink moped that had a Barbie-esque design contrasted with the wicked witch’s aesthetic. The vibrancy of Oz stood out on stage with elements of digital visuals and sparkly green costumes, I particularly liked the references to real-world places that has been Ozfied, for example Ozbucks coffee (Starbucks coffee).
Technical difficulties
Like all new shows with a lot of high tech and moving parts, there are always things that could go wrong. It’s always a stage managers worst nightmare on opening week when things start acting up – and not in a good way – and audiences need pacifying quickly. I’d never experienced a theatre show where things have gone unintentionally wrong so this was a new experience for me. After five minutes into the second half, things went wayward, while Pilkington was enchanting the audience with her devious tones, the stage manager entered the stage. He politely announced that they were having a few technical difficulties and things would be back on track shortly. Some time had past and I genuinely thought that the show would not go on. However, in a surprising turn of events Jason Manford appeared on stage with a microphone – still dressed as the Cowardly Lion – and did an impromptu stand up comedy session. I’d never experienced Manford’s live comedy shows and I respect him for coming on stage and keeping the audience entertained for 10 minutes (30 minute delay). As he funnily said that “this is as weird for you as it is for me” and it was true watching him attempting to not step on his costume tail! Manford entertained and kept things ticking over until the fault was fixed and he left the stage after orchestrating the crowd to sing Sweet Caroline. Again a very surreal experience. The show must go on one way or another and the stage manager and team worked superbly to get things back on track. The cast and creatives managed the situation with professionalism, humour and politeness.
Final thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed this performance of The Wizard of Oz that had adapted a well-loved and iconic film to the stage in an immersive, compelling and full of surprises show! I did feel that some songs and dance sequences went on for a little too long and needed tightening up, but given it is only the second day things can always be tweaked. The staging relied on a digital screen for a lot of the visuals throughout the show, which were unnecessary and the image was blurry. Unless you are sitting directly facing the stage you can’t see anything – that was certainly the case for my seats. Similarly, there was a lot of action happening at the back corner of the stage, which was hidden from view for many seats. I thought the stage floor could have been decorated in a way that immersed the audience because from the higher tiered seats all I could see was tape and markings that dulled the illusion. The reliance on digital screens broke that illusion of immersive theatre and I think for scenes like the storm, dancers and actors could have embodied this element and brought a 3d element, such as moving objects to appear like they are moving in the storm. Despite these minor critiques, I highly recommend a visit to the theatre and see a stand-out cast perform in this vivid and vibrant world.
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