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The Wizard of Oz A ‘Wicked’ Pantomime Adventure The Old Rep **** Somewhere over the rainbow, through the hustle and bustle of the Birmingham Frankfurt Market, just listen out for Toto’s barks and you should end up at The Old Rep Theatre for this year’s BOA Group Productions performance of The Wizard of Oz: A ‘Wicked’ Pantomime Adventure. Can the Wicked Witch, Avital Kagan, avenge her sister’s untimely demise or can Dorothy, Jaiden Tsang, bring the house down and get away with murder aided by some savoury allies lacking a few vital organs? Beware the Peaky Munchkins. Look behind you! “Come on and ease on down, ease on down the road” as we follow Dorothy and Toto on their soulful adventures to Oz, not Australia, but a very long way away from Aunty Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas after a ferocious tornado twists and turns to a faraway land where there are talking lions, dancing scarecrows and a promiscuous Tinman, oh and did I mention flying monkeys? At any given moment, the urge to sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is just a whim away, a whim away, a whim away. Apologies, anyway, Glinda, Denise Pitter, the good witch gives Diana Ross a run for her money and steals the show with her seamless costume changes and a sprinkling of cracker jokes to win the hearts of the audience and all ages were giggling away, clapping and singing. My daughter aged 12 and her friend aged 13, even though they are too cool for school, were transfixed by the action on stage as the Tinman’s body seemed to have a mind of its own, Oraine Johnson owned the beats, the lion, Jordan Laidley, finally got his roar and cartwheeling Scarecrow, Julie Baker, became the brains of the operation. Directed by Lorna Laidlaw and with a glittering Janice Connolly behind the scenes, this wicked pantomime has all the festive ingredients for that warm winter glow, including even a Mr Christmas in the cast as the Brummie Wizard of Oz himself, Matthew Christmas. Written by Tom Whalley, you can’t not laugh, so as long as the ghosts don’t get you then you should be a champion roaring louder than a lion. Tickets are available, oh yes they are, just follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, located at The Old Rep Theatre Box Office on Station Street in Birmingham or call 0121 6435858 or email: boxoffice@oldrep.co.uk. Tickets cost from £14.50 so click your heels three times and at Christmas there is no place like the Old Rep Theatre for some Glinda magic. To 31-12-24. Emma Trimble 30-11-24 |
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