The Wizard of Oz at Alhambra Theatre Bradford Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Deborah Banasko
The Wizard of Oz holds special memories for me as it was something that we watched as a family every Christmas on TV, so I did wonder whether the theatre show would leave me with the desired feelings of joy and nostalgia. It did, with bells on and a very modern twist. I actually wanted to jump out of my seat when the cast launched into “Ding, Dong, The Witch is Dead”!
I watched the show with my 9-year old son who has never watched a “proper” theatre show before so we were both so excited. Bradford Alhambra is a beautiful theatre and just a short walk from the train station if you didn’t want to come by car.
I have been many times to the Alhambra but my son’s fresh pair of eyes made me appreciate the lovely bar area and the friendliness of the staff again. He was pleased at there being a huge stack of booster seats available as you enter the theatre so that he had a fantastic view, although we did agree that the sweets on sale were a little over-priced.
For those who may not know, The Wizard of Oz is based on the book by L. Frank Baum and was made into a family movie in 1939. When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Aviva Tulley) and her dog Toto (Abigail Matthews) are transported in her house to the magical land of Oz where they meet the Good Witch Glinda (Emily Bull) and the Munchkins. Dorothy is determined to find her way home and sets out on a journey, following the Yellow Brick Road, to the Emerald City to ask the Great Wizard to help her. Dorothy quickly makes an enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West (The Vivienne) but meets three friends along the way who also want to ask the Wizard for help: Scarecrow, Tin-Man and Lion.
The show starts with a bang (literally, so you have been warned). The use of a video screen cleverly creates the era and setting, but it is the archways of light which stretch over the entire stage which I felt were especially clever. The scenes seemed to be colour-coded, so as we first meet Dorothy in Kansas the arches are white whilst the video display and cast are very dull and grey in appearance. When Dorothy lands in Oz, after a thrilling tornado scene, she is sporting the iconic blue and white gingham dress; the lights are blue and the ensemble are co-ordinated to match. Once the yellow brick road is brought out then the rings and ensemble are yellow, and you can guess what change occurs once they arrive at the Emerald city. It is simple yet so effective.
Whilst there is minimal actual scenery, it is enough to create the right effect, particularly the yellow brick road. There are plenty of flashing lights, bangs and sparks but these aren’t frightening for children at all and create an amazing spectacle.
I loved the modern twists which meant that Glinda didn’t arrive in a bubble, but instead on a pink moped!
I am reluctant to mention specific actors, as the casting was so perfect that all performances were of equal standard. The individual vocals were outstanding, especially “Somewhere over the Rainbow” performed by Tulley; she was a perfect leading lady and we cannot wait to see what she stars in next.
What I particularly liked was that actors embodied and personalised their characters so brilliantly. The Tin-man was more of a robot, with dance moves to accompany this slight change of direction which I loved as it brought the show into the modern day.
I have to reference The Vivienne of course who plays The Wicked Witch of the West. Whether you are a fan or unaware of who they are (I am a total fan), it was a faultless performance from an absolute professional. We particularly loved the clever way that her final demise was played out too.
A special mention must be made to Matthews who played Toto the dog. Within 2 minutes of her being on stage I had forgotten that Toto was a puppet being controlled and voiced by Matthews, as he became real before our eyes. Toto “performed” continuously throughout, whether it was a head tilt or even his chest rising and falling to depict his breathing as he lay down. It didn’t go unnoticed and took a lot of skill.
The ensemble song and dance performances were pure brilliance; the costumes were often bright and magnificently bonkers and like nothing I have seen in a theatre show. The iconic songs were performed better than I had imagined and I had chills on hearing “Yellow Brick Road/Off To See the Wizard” and “Merry Old Land of Oz”. There were a few new numbers as well!
This is a musical that delivers in all areas; impeccable acting, singing and dance… and what a spectacle for the eyes! I wish I could go back and watch it all again. Without doubt a 5/5 star show.
Rating: 5/5
The show runs at Bradford Alhambra from 21st- 23rd March and tickets range from £22.25- £57.75.
You can book tickets directly here: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-wizard-of-oz
Photo credit Marc Brenner