Twists and turns in familiar tale with sincere retelling and comic timing

StageWorks presents The Wizard of Oz
Kenton Theatre
Friday, November 21

THE atmosphere in the Kenton Theatre’s foyer was alive with the sound of happy children’s voices and looks of excited anticipation in their rosy faces.

We were all there to see StageWorks’ 25th anniversary production, The Wizard Of Oz.

In the wake of Wicked’s phenomenal success, it felt timely for StageWorks to revisit L Frank Baum’s original story, with their own creative touch.

From the very start, the audience was swept up into a world that felt both familiar and freshly imagined as we joined Dorothy and her friends on their enchanting journey. Bethany Redston as Dorothy was a delight with a strong voice, crystal clear diction and stage presence. It was her real gumption and unwavering sincerity that made it easy for us to invest in her journey back home.

She was ably supported by Lily Barker with a similarly fully embodied and impressive performance as the Scarecrow, loose-limbed and expressive, with an exaggerated elegance.

Aurelia Lowe as the Tin Man brought a fresh comic approach to the “tin can” always in need of oil and her physical comedy was beautifully executed, a great hit with the children in the audience.

The standout performance of the night came from Betty-Mae Cowley who played the Cowardly Lion with effortless flair. She truly immersed herself into the iconic character, bringing a delightfully buoyant energy to the role.

Together, the foursome created an undeniably entertaining presence throughout each twist and turn.

When it came to the two witches, Glinda, played by Jorgia Petford with pure angelic clarity and the Wicked Witch, played by Kitty Thomas with pure vengeance, both were excellent in their characterisations.

Although they rarely shared stage time, the witches’ contrasting approaches gave the show a satisfying balance of light and dark. However, I did feel that on occasions the brim of the pointed hat worn by Kitty did tend to cast a shadow over her face, masking her wonderful green make-up and facial expressions.

The talented George Venn commanded the stage and cut an imposing figure in his various scenes as both the Wizard and Uncle Henry.

There was also tremendous support from Anna Cilliers, Paige Bradford-Munro, Catherine O’Sullivan, Olive Meli, Edward Rossdale, Iris Lowe, Cressida West, Ava Gerstmann and Melia Drummond as well as StageWorks junior youth and senior youth students.

The various scenes, including the infamous twister scene, which is oh-so-difficult to portray, were cleverly executed through the use of projection and a little theatre magic.

Impressive projections were used throughout to depict the various locations and it was obvious that a great deal of time and expertise had gone into choosing the ones most suitable.

The Wizard’s scene specifically had great power and spectacle. This was a highly creative and immersive design.

This Wizard of Oz is, at its heart, a family-friendly affair. The sound of laughter from children, the appreciative applause from adults and the visible joy shared across the auditorium proved that StageWorks had achieved the ultimate goal — to not just show us this magical tale but envelop us within it.

Here’s to the next 25 years.

David Anthony