On Thursday, we excitedly went along to the Palace Theatre, Manchester to see The Wizard of Oz. Read what our reviewer Abi Holden thought about this unmissable production...

The Wizard of Oz, based on the classic much-loved film of the same name, has soared into Manchester as it tours the UK and Ireland, and I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore! With its original score and songs being added to by the legendary writing team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, this musical is everything you’d expect and more. As everyone has, I grew up watching the film and being mesmerised by the storyline and characters and to finally get to see it on stage was beyond incredible.

The Wizard of Oz famously tells the tale of Dorothy (Aviva Tulley - The Book of Mormon, Once on This Island), an orphan who dreams of something more than her life on the farm with her Aunt Em (Emily Bull - Matilda, Les Miserables) and Uncle Henry (David Burrows - My Fair Lady, Half a Sixpence), and the farmhands, Hunk (Benjamin Yates- Wicked, Cats), Hickory (Aston Merrygold - JLS, Strictly Come Dancing) and Zeke (Jason Manford - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Curtains). The evil neighbour, Ms Gulch (The Vivienne - Winner of Season 1 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK) threatens to have Toto (Abigail Matthews - War Horse, Evita) taken away, so Dorothy leaves the farm with her beloved dog. Along the way, she meets the mysterious Professor Marvel (Allan Stewart - The Producers, Edinburgh’s annual pantomime) who tells her about the wonders of the world. Dorothy decides to join the kind and quirky man on his travels, just before a terrible storm hits and she runs back home to take cover. 

Of course, she encounters that famous tornado and ends up in Oz where she meets Glinda (Emily Bull), the munchkins and The Wicked Witch of the West, who famously promises to ‘Get Dorothy and her little dog too.’  Dorothy must make her way along the yellow brick road to see the Wizard of Oz in order to get back home to Kansas.

On her journey, Dorothy meets Scarecrow (Benjamin Yates), who wants nothing more than a brain, the rusted Tin Man (Aston Merrygold) who desires a heart, and the Cowardly Lion (Jason Manford) who is searching for courage.  They face yellow brick roads, poppy fields, the Wicked Witch’s flying monkeys and fire!  But it seems Dorothy has possessed the power to go home the whole time and that the magic of her ruby slippers will help her. After all, there is no place like home, which is where Dorothy finds herself, after clicking her shoes together. She finds a new appreciation for her life on the farm and she goes off towards the rainbow, with Toto, as the story ends.

One of my absolute favourite things about this show was the simple use of screens to portray the different backgrounds and sets. It really helped to bring the stage to life, especially when in Oz, with clever puns in the backdrops, such as advertisements for West Side Witch, The Phantom of Oz and Margaret Hamilton: The Musical (a nod to the original actor who played the Wicked Witch of the West). Another shout out needs to go to the Glinda-mobile. I seriously need one of those. It would make the weekly big shop pass by in comfort and ease. Six-year-old me would have loved all of the pink and the glamour of it.

I absolutely adored the use of a puppet as the dog, Toto, and you got so engrossed in the way that he wagged his tail and cocked his head that you forgot that Abigail Matthews was the one controlling his movements. He was also adorable and his little barks and yaps really brought the canine to life.

One small detail, that was not in the original film, which I loved, was the subtle nods, throughout to how iconic this story is in the LGBTQIA+ community, such as when the Scarecrow (Benjamin Yates) crossed his arms in that well-loved moment but surprised us by saying, “Some people swing both ways,” with a cheeky wink to the audience. Absolutely terrific.

The raised yellow brick road allowed for the road to be moved around, for each new scene along the journey and I loved how the ensemble were used to move the set, all dressed in yellow, as though they were keepers of the road. The costumes, in general, for the ensemble were a marvel, from the munchkins, to the citizens of the Emerald City and beyond - they transformed the same group of people into a plethora of different characters, each of them unique and truly fabulous.

Emily Bull as Glinda was sassy and intelligent, with her vibrant high notes showing the Good Witch as we know and love her. And Allan Stewart as the Wizard, hiding behind technology to seem more intimidating, really did bring a quirkiness and almost awkwardness to the nutty professor that made the audience laugh and delight in his antics, as he cheats his way out of having to really do anything to help his visitors.

Jason Manford as the Cowardly Lion brought that classic, deep sob of the character to life before my eyes, making the audience crack up at his patheticness. He was truly phenomenal in the role, which he had played at the Palladium last summer, and joined the cast, which have been touring the country together, for their Manchester shows, with ease. It is as honestly as though he has been there the whole time. He was a marvel. Aston Merrygold as the Tin Man showcased his incredible dancing and singing skills, as well as showing the audience something that they hadn’t really seen from him before, in his beautiful acting. He is a true triple threat and his acting had the audience engrossed in the narrative. Benjamin Yates as the Scarecrow was truly perfect, from his one-liners to his wobbly movements. He really embodied the character of the Scarecrow and made the audience fall in love with him from the start. His witty portrayal and the clear admiration that his character had for Dorothy blazed across the stage.

The Vivienne as the Wicked Witch of the West was truly terrifying, in the best way. Her manic laughter and complete portrayal of evil had me shaking in my shoes. One moment, in particular, that I loved, was when she petrified the audience by appearing in one of the boxes, making everyone jump, especially the poor woman in the box next to her, who was the target of the Wicked Witch’s sneers and jibes. With her incredible vocals, as well as her unbelievable characterisation, she made the role her own, all whilst keeping in with the tradition of the Wicked Witch of the West being one of the scariest villains in a musical.

The beautiful and insanely talented Aviva Tulley as Dorothy had me close to tears with her rendition of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. It was simply stunning. And her characterisation of the feisty and courageous young woman carried the show. From her entering the stage, she barely left and her ever-presence gave the audience the anchor into the story as we followed along on her journey home. How she got those ruby slippers on her feet that quickly, I will never know. It was insane!

This amazing story has been watched and loved for generations and watching this more modern take on the tale, you can definitely see why. I would see it a hundred more times, if I could, and would find something new to love about the performances from the incredibly talented cast each and every time.

Take a deep dive into a twister and see where you land. You definitely won’t regret it.

WE SCORE THE WIZARD OF OZ...

The Wizard of Oz is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Sunday 5th May 2024.


Watch our "In Conversation with Allan Stewart" video discussing this production


BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY!