Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Impressive set design . Twisted take on Oz . Lovely greenery . |
| Disadvantages: |
Slightly rushed second half? |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Took the missus to see a preview in London at the Apollo Victoria.
Although initially reluctant to see it - she loved it (and so surprisingly enough did I). I like musicals but was expecting this to be a bit of a borefest like Lion King (ie telling almost exactly the same story as the movie).
Instead I found it a clever, witty and twisted take on the Wizard of Oz - part prequel/part comtemporaneous to the original.
For a musical there's some quite sophisticated messages - history being written by the victors etc.
The set design was amazing - as was the choreography, lighting (spell casting) and sound design (Wizard moments). Unusually there wasn't really a duff song either.
Storywise it developed really well in the first half but maybe a little rushed towards the end once it caught up with the events in Oz.
Acting wise - both of the leads were very good although the lass playing Glinda perhaps slightly weaker.
Little ones won't really get the story but will probably enjoy the experience nontheless. My missus - non-British and therefore hasn't seen it every Christmas since she was a nipper - struggled to get all of the links with the Wizard of Oz. 10+ year olds (particularly girls) with a recent viewing of Oz under their belts should love it.
We were in Circle row X (just a couple from very back) and we had a great view. Missus did take her mini binoculars to check out the actors faces from time to time though. If you are short in stature you may want to take your own cushion if you go to a matinee (the little ones will use them all up).
Fantastic value for a fiver (and mucho brownie points from the missus).
