The Wizard of Oz is a classic show with well known characters, songs and even particular lines of script that purists of the show feel have to be delivered in a particular way.
I myself am not so staunch in my views, however the purists needn't have worried as The Little Theatre Company's production was as close to the original as it could be.
Laura Harper's interpretation of Dorothy was very accurate to true essence of character.
Kilian McIntosh's Scarecrow was brilliantly performed. He gave a full body and full face performance which never stopped whilst he was on stage.
Dave Gardner's Tinman was brilliant as he gave such a stilted performance it was easy to believe he was made of tin.
Julian Cottee's Cowardly Lion, which is my personal favourite of the characters and where I become a Oz purist, had moments of excellence. For me you have to try and emulate Bert Lahr and Julian did this at times excellently.
Lianne Larthe's Wicked Witch of the West was everybit the archetypal cackling witch and she did well not to overegg the role which would've been easy considering the audience's pantomime-esque booing of her.
She was perefectly contrasted by the calmness of Kate Andrews' Glinda.
Cameo parts that stood out for me included the Munchkins in the Lollipop Guild - the put on voices added to the characters well. I also loved the dancing crows.
To say the second act surpassed the first would be an understatement.
From The Emerald City Guard, played superbly by Chris Higginson who had excellent comic timing, through the wonderfully put together Merry Old Land of Oz scene, and the simple but hugely effective Winkies scenes and, what was my favourite scene, the Jitterbug scene which was well choreographed and executed excellently, the second act held me much more so than the first.
At this point I would like to mention two great pieces of stage craft. The great Oz head and the melting witch both of which were effectively carried out.
Going to see the Saturday matinee performance of a show like The Wizard of Oz, on the first of December is something I won't be doing again. Not because the show wasn't good, it really was, but because the theatrical performance had a child filled pantomime thinking audience and I found that hard!
From what I can see, LTC's next show will be Side Show (from the creative team behind Dream Girls and The Greatest Showman) in May 2019.
I myself am not so staunch in my views, however the purists needn't have worried as The Little Theatre Company's production was as close to the original as it could be.
Laura Harper's interpretation of Dorothy was very accurate to true essence of character.
Kilian McIntosh's Scarecrow was brilliantly performed. He gave a full body and full face performance which never stopped whilst he was on stage.
Dave Gardner's Tinman was brilliant as he gave such a stilted performance it was easy to believe he was made of tin.
Julian Cottee's Cowardly Lion, which is my personal favourite of the characters and where I become a Oz purist, had moments of excellence. For me you have to try and emulate Bert Lahr and Julian did this at times excellently.
Lianne Larthe's Wicked Witch of the West was everybit the archetypal cackling witch and she did well not to overegg the role which would've been easy considering the audience's pantomime-esque booing of her.
She was perefectly contrasted by the calmness of Kate Andrews' Glinda.
Cameo parts that stood out for me included the Munchkins in the Lollipop Guild - the put on voices added to the characters well. I also loved the dancing crows.
To say the second act surpassed the first would be an understatement.
From The Emerald City Guard, played superbly by Chris Higginson who had excellent comic timing, through the wonderfully put together Merry Old Land of Oz scene, and the simple but hugely effective Winkies scenes and, what was my favourite scene, the Jitterbug scene which was well choreographed and executed excellently, the second act held me much more so than the first.
At this point I would like to mention two great pieces of stage craft. The great Oz head and the melting witch both of which were effectively carried out.
Going to see the Saturday matinee performance of a show like The Wizard of Oz, on the first of December is something I won't be doing again. Not because the show wasn't good, it really was, but because the theatrical performance had a child filled pantomime thinking audience and I found that hard!
From what I can see, LTC's next show will be Side Show (from the creative team behind Dream Girls and The Greatest Showman) in May 2019.
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