Day 24 - The Wizard of Oz @REP Birmingham

We have totally loved every show we have been to see at The Rep and the Wizard of Oz was no exception.
When we arrived there was some lively skiff music playing by members of the cast against a background of corrugated iron. This really set the scene perfectly. When the play started, we were instantly transported to the farm in Kansas where the farm hands relax between shifts. The simple set of the farm building both inside and out felt so real that it made the whole story.The story starts with Toto being a real dog and when the play moves to Oz he turns into a puppet - P hadn't noticed this till the end when she said "Oh there were 2 totos!".
The Munchkins provide a hilarious welcome to Oz. They manged to be both funny and creepy, setting the tone for the rest of the story. Oz is a magical land full of vivid colour, towering plants and trees, and eerie animals and otherworldly creatures. The ensemble works so hard to bring it to life and it feels like you have been transported into another world.

The thing which made the play so innovative and fresh was the stagecraft and use of the set. The journey to Oz on the yellow brick road is told through a variety of props including yellow steps and chairs which give a feeling of movement along with the stage floor which is a giant turntable. Oz itself has some visual gags, green billboards with Oz puns in them and Dorothy and her companions getting an Oz makeover complete with traditional Dorothy costume. The Wicked Witch of the West was truly terrifying and P had her hands over her eyes for some of it!

I am looking forward to next's years Christmas show already!