THE WIZ
Brentwood
Operatic Society at the Brentwood Theatre
23.10.15
A
stylish Wiz at Brentwood, with excellent ensemble and some impressive
principals.
This
“supersoul” reworking of the Wizard of Oz is forty years old now,
but still seems fresh and daring.
Amy
Clayton's production begins with an old-fashioned scene cloth and a
clothes line. But as the tornado snatches Dorothy [Rachel Lane] from
her Kansas home, things become much more interesting. The Twister
Sisters ballet introduces the colourful Munchkins [shiny plastic
bowlers] and Addapearle [Lauren Tidbury].
Joining
her as she eases on down the road are
a splendid trio: David Gillett's daffy Scarecrow, Martin
Harris's dapper Tinman,
and Allister Smith's big old pussycat, with his bouffant mane and his
personal stylists. All off
to meet the Wiz himself [a nuanced Justin Cartledge] and to liquidate
the Wicked Witch of the West [an enjoyably
unsubtle Nina Jarram].
Backing
their adventures is an ever-changing chorus in varying shades of
green – flappers and farm girls, showgirls and demons, cheeky crows
and sensual poppies. Some fine work in smaller roles: Jamie Fudge's
Gatekeeper, Ben Martins' Monkey. Accents
and attitudes are authentic; the pace of the dialogue, though,
sometimes seems slow.
This
is above
all
a company show. The chorus choreography is superb; He's The Wiz, for
instance, is an unalloyed joy to watch. The
revelation of the glamorous throne room is stunning.
Only occasionally does the tiny stage seem cramped, the action
confused.
Darren
Matthews directs his unseen band from the keyboard, conjuring
something of the urban African-American idiom from his provincial
British company.
