Usually when I want to spend two-and-a-half hours staring at a screen I open TikTok. Last week, however, I decided to see The Wizard of Oz at the Birmingham Hippodrome to get the same headache-inducing experience. There’s a reason The Wizard of Oz has been adapted so many times: it’s great. The original story from the 1900 book and the songs from the 1939 film have inspired creatives for over a hundred years and audiences love it every time. This production offers all the classic fun but also made the brave decision to ask: ‘What if we took all the incredible visuals from one of the most iconic films of all time and replaced them with a setless void backdropped by CGI that would’ve looked dated ten years ago?’ 

This production of The Wizard of Oz had no set

That’s right: this production of The Wizard of Oz had no set. Props were brought out to fill the black nothingness, but for the most part, the set design relied on a massive screen to do all the work. This is representative of a larger trend in theatre design at the moment, but The Wizard of Oz – which in all its many forms is known for its incredible visuals, but especially the 1939 film this production adapts – feels like a particularly heinous work to be given the iPad baby treatment. This choice was also disappointing because the design for this production could have been really interesting. Rather than sticking to the visual language of the film we all know, this production was inspired by nostalgic 1950s and early tech imagery. This blend of disparate aesthetics could have given the classic tale a quirky spin if done well, but the result was a confusing assault on the senses. 

This blend of disparate aesthetics could have given the classic tale a quirky spin if done well, but the result was a confusing assault on the senses

One thing this production did have going for it was some great performances. Craig Revel Horwood gave a great (and well-casted) performance as the Wicked Witch of the West; despite having watched Strictly for twenty years, at no point did I feel like I was watching his TV judge persona in a wig, which is a pretty big achievement. Aviva Tulley gave a great performance as Dorothy, and her rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ would have been very moving if I hadn’t been distracted by the screen behind her. I also really enjoyed Abigail Matthews’ puppetry as Toto; however, the decision to dress the puppeteer in the exact same colours as the puppet, instead of a contrasting colour that would make the puppet stand out, was strange and a little distracting.

Craig Revel Horwood gave a great (and well-casted) performance as the Wicked Witch of the West

Usually, I would not let one element of a show ruin the whole thing for me, but the stage design of this production of The Wizard of Oz felt so antithetical to the spirit of the story that it distracted me the whole time. I particularly felt this way because the story is so well-known that the main reason I wanted to see a stage production of it was to see a new, fun interpretation of the classic. While this production gave a new take, it certainly wasn’t fun. If you’re thinking of seeing it, I’d recommend staying home and watching the original film followed by a ‘Craig Revel Horwood Best Moments’ YouTube montage. After all, there’s no place like home.

Rating: 1.5/5

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