WILL there be munchkins? Will Toto be real? Will there be a witch? The questions were coming thick and fast as soon as my five-year-old and I walked into the theatre, and all I could do was hope the Wizard of Oz at the Pavilion would live up to my little Dorothy wannabe's expectations.
Of course, with this being a stage version of Oz there were always going to be a few ‘adaptations’; the yellow brick road was painted, and the crash landing in Oz was done with smoke and sound effects rather than a giant twister sweeping Kansas. But from the outset, this production put a modern, new spin on the classic and it quickly had the kids captivated and the adults in stitches.
Bobby Davro was like a scarecrow on Pro Plus, spilling gags quicker than straw and ad-libbing up a storm.
CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell delighted her fans as a funky fairy – on Heelies!
And Dani Harmer, aka Tracy Beaker, made a cute but feisty Dorothy.
Well known tunes like 'Over the Rainbow' were swapped for chart-toppers from Lady Gaga and even Rose Royce’s Car Wash, and soon had everyone rocking in their seats.
And the flying monkeys? Well, they were replaced by a bunch of scary clowns that were giving the woman sitting behind me palpitations.
Munchkins – check. A real Toto – check. A witch (green, mean and with a cracking voice) - check.
But the highlight for the five-year old and me? The lion dressed as Beyonce of course – Oz-some!
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