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BrumHour saw The Wizard of Oz at the invite of Birmingham Hippodrome.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Aston Merrygold spoke about his role as The Tin Man in this production of The Wizard Of Oz.
By George Elsmere-Whitney x.com/caramelattekiss
Review: The Wizard Of Oz at Birmingham Hippodrome
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”A real treat”
Direct from the London Palladium, this reimagined production of the beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz, takes Dorothy and her friends on an unforgettable adventure over the rainbow and along the yellow brick road.
Aviva Tulley wows as Dorothy, delivering a warm, emotional performance. She deserves to be a theatre superstar, as proved by her captivating performance of Over The Rainbow. At the risk of being cast out of the theatre community, I confess that it’s not one of my particular favourite songs, but even I had to brush away a tear as she sang.
The cast is packed with talent, making this production a real treat. Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood nails a gloriously camp, scenery-chewing performance as the Wicked Witch of the West, joyfully revelling in the boos. Dorothy’s friends, the Scarecrow (Benjamin Yates), the Tin Man (Aston Merrygold), and the Cowardly Lion (Nic Greenshields) make a heartwarming trio. Benjamin Yates has a beautiful singing voice and kept the audience laughing with his himbo with a heart of gold characterisation. Nic Greenshields is perhaps the strongest actor of the three, walking that fine line between delivering a performance that reminded me of the iconic Bert Lahr in the 1939 movie, without tipping into doing an impression of the late actor. Aston Merrygold’s singing is perhaps a touch overshadowed by the powerhouses around him, but his physicality as the Tin Man more than makes up for it.
Emily Bull as Glinda also has a sensational voice and looks gorgeous in her 1950s version of The Good Witch, decked out in a sparkling pink poodle skirt. Toto is an uncannily lifelike puppet, masterfully puppeteered by Abigail Matthews. It’s easy to forget that Toto isn’t a real dog, even though Matthews is always visible; a credit to her skill.
Colin Richmond’s sets and projections from Douglas O’Connell turn Oz into a technicolour, 1950s vision of the future, with huge light-up pieces of the yellow brick road on wheels, the poppy field turned into a motel, and Oz (Allan Stewart) concealed behind a giant pair of glasses. Rachael Canning’s costumes and Elizabeth Marini’s wig and make-up designs are beautiful, especially the multi-coloured dream hairstyle sported by the Wicked Witch. Credit must go to the backstage crew too, who pull off an enormous number of incredibly fast quick-changes for the large ensemble and main cast.
Professor Marvel (Allan Stewart) invites Dorothy into a world of wonders, and that’s exactly what this production delivers. You’ll feel like a child again, wowed by the magic of the merry old land of Oz.
The Wizard of Oz is at Birmingham Hippodrome until 16th June. Book tickets here: birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/the-wizard-of-oz.
