The Wizard of Oz Archives - North West End UK

The Wizard of Oz – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

29Oct

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Altrincham Garrick’s latest production of The Wizard of Oz is a tour de force! I can say with confidence that it’s one of the most impressive productions I’ve seen in recent months. Running until Sunday, November 3rd, this show has been brought to life under the talented direction of Joseph Meighan. The level of detail in every aspect of this production is remarkable, from the lavish costumes to the dynamic set design and breathtaking special effects that fully immerse the audience in Oz’s magical world; including digital projection, lighting and pyro! The cast delivered a polished, professional performance that rivalled any big-touring production. Ciara-Alexandra Booker shone as Dorothy, bringing warmth, innocence, and undeniable talent to the role. Her voice was powerful and filled wi...

1Aug

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Wizard of Oz – Wolverhampton Grand

“There’s no place like Wolves!” Well, there certainly isn’t as Dorothy Gale and her little dog, too, land their wooden house on the stage of the Grand Theatre which they’re calling no place like home for the next few days. “The Wizard of Oz” is, undoubtedly, an iconic, kaleidoscopic, psychedelic trip into the mad and inventive mind of L. Frank Baum who, eager to create a new style fairy tale for a new, burgeoning nation, let his eyes drift to his library index cards one day where the letters O-Z jumped out and he was off down his yellow brick road to literary success. His unstoppable quill knocked out a dozen or so Oz titles within a few years with further volumes being penned by other authors. Baum, being no slack capitalist, exploited his work in all media - books, stage and film. Way...

27Apr

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Palace Theatre

Nikolai Foster has taken many a musical theatre staple and put his own spin on them, with this show being another triumph to come out of the tried and tested method of starting at the Leicester Curve before becoming a big hit. Sending this spectacle out on a national tour is a no-brainer, bound to bedazzle theatre goers all over the country with its imaginative take on the heart-warming classic. Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, the tale has had many iterations, proving its generational appeal. But at the heart of its story, there’s a young girl on a heroic journey to find a place to belong. We are taken on this adventure by Dorothy (Aviva Tulley). The audience is in very capable hands here, Tulley’s voice soars as she delivers Over the Rainbow, and her performance encapsulates all...

21Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Wizard of Oz – Bradford Alhambra

We’re off to Bradford to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz in an updated stage version of the classic Judy Garland movie that has become a must see every Christmas for generations of families everywhere. Unless you have spent your life in a closed religious order then there is no point in detailing the plot as a young girl in depression era Kansas enters a strange new world, and with the help of some new mates fends off a wicked witch to find her way home. This lively technicolour revival comes straight from a sell-out run at the London Palladium, and the good news for all friends of Dorothy is the classic movie tunes are still here, with typically solid extra songs by the venereal duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in the second act. Whilst staying true to the movie’s message t...

The Wizard Of Oz – New Wimbledon Theatre

14Mar

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Wizard Of Oz – New Wimbledon Theatre

This classic tale is reimagined with an inventive and modern take on The Wizard of Oz as we know it. With a talented and enthusiastic cast, comedic and heartfelt moments, this production is an enjoyable watch for all ages. Projections are used extensively which is seemingly becoming the norm for a tour production, and we are launched into Dorothy’s world in Kansas quite abruptly with a somewhat dominating video. While the scene was indeed set, this dynamic video established the tone for much of the staging throughout the production. Despite some extensive and inventive set pieces, the large screen at the back of the stage is used primarily to distinguish scenes and at times this choice feels unnecessary and lazy, particularly as the cast performances are entirely believable. While st...

26Jan

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Wizard of Oz – Hull New Theatre

Hull New Theatre was packed to the rafters on Thursday night for what turned out to be a magical extravaganza of colour, energy and theatrical perfection. As soon as the curtain rose on The Wizard of Oz musical, it was clear we were in for something special. The imaginative stage setting revealed a huge video backdrop which cleverly reeled us into the story - the opening sequence of a tornado just blew us away (pun intended). And this videography played a huge part in the rest of the proceedings, meaning distracting scene-shifting was kept to a minimum throughout. There can’t be a person on the planet who doesn’t know the age-old story of young Dorothy and her dog, Toto. In last night’s production, Dorothy was played by the very talented Aviva Tulles, while Toto was brought to ...

18Dec

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Liverpool Empire

Aston Merrygold as the Tin man and The Vivienne as the Wicked Witch of the West, star in a vibrant and colourful stage adaptation of the classic film. Transferred to the Empire from their stint in London’s West End Jeremy Sams version stays true to the innocence and magic of the original tale. With new songs, written and composed by longstanding musical theatre icons Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, friendship and fantasy were at the forefront. Full of flair, this production lived up to the expectation of the full crowd. Not only did the A-list names pay homage to their classic roles, they did not over play and stayed true to the production as a whole letting other cast members have their moments of too, of which there were many. Aviva Tulley’s Dorothy was understated but stoic. The Em...

6Oct

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Z arts

The Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ graces the Renaker Theatre, Z-Arts for 2 days only. This glorious rendition of L.Frank Baum with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y.Harburg is an adaptation of the 1900 children’s fantasy novel ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ which became the classic 1939’s film we all love and adore starring Judy Garland. MMY Apprentices Director Shannon Holland has done a sterling job on creating a magnificent production with the students, it is hard to believe that these talented youngsters on stage are aged 8 to 13 as they shown a maturity beyond their years. MMY has always prided themselves on igniting passion, nurturing talent and showcasing success and this is a prime example of their ethos as each, and every young person s...

13Jul

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

The Wizard of Oz – London Palladium

Life is but a dream on the other side of the rainbow. One that we live vividly and share with others to be better understood. And a yellow brick road through which we hop joyfully, finding others to help along the way. The return of the all-time classic The Wizard of Oz, adapted from the book by L. Frank Baum, with the music of Harold Arlen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg and Tim Rice, brings new images to the well-known story of this girl from Kansas and her slightly naughty little dog. This staging has Colin Richmond as the set designer, Shay Barclay as choreographer, George Dyer as musical director, and Nikolai Foster as the director. The story follows Dorothy, played by Georgina Onuorah, who lives in a farm with her uncle Henry, played by Geoffrey Aymer, and her a...

20Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Follow the yellow brick road on tour!

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are thrilled to announce that The Wizard of Oz, the musical based on the iconic story by L. Frank Baum, will embark on a UK Tour, following this summer’s forthcoming season at the world-famous London Palladium. The Wizard of Oz will open its tour with a Christmas season at the Liverpool Empire, beginning performances on Wednesday 13th December, with subsequent tour dates announced today through to Spring 2024. Michael Harrison, the producer of the smash-hit Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which thrilled audiences on its UK Tour in 2022, now presents Curve’s brand-new production of one of the world’s most beloved musicals. For more information and to book tickets, go to www.wizardofozmusical.com Join Dorothy, Toto and friend...