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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 12:21:18 GMT
Directed by Liam Steel
24th November 2018 to 13th January 2019
Members onsale now, general onsale Friday.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jan 22, 2018 12:39:15 GMT
Directed by Liam Steel 24th November 2018 to 13th January 2019 Members onsale now, general onsale Friday. I saw Wizard at the Rep yonks ago, quite good as i recall.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 12:40:08 GMT
This is a new production.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 15:54:46 GMT
I saw Wizard at the Rep yonks ago, quite good as i recall. The last time it was at The REP was in 2003 which was a great production directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, then it returned in 2005 before transferring to the West Yorkshire Playhouse the following year. And I think it was done once or twice in the 90's, but this will be a brand new production.
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Jan 22, 2018 17:11:46 GMT
This is a new production. Adding value as usual.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2018 18:09:10 GMT
Anything that isn't The Snowman is always welcome for the Rep's Christmas show.
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540 posts
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Post by drowseychap on Jan 23, 2018 1:22:22 GMT
Yep it’s been done loads at the rep I saw the wonderful sue (dinner ladies) devaney skip round that circular yello brick road in 1988 /89 ish ..... I remember a great set change to Oz with the farmhouse tilting and flying off stage ... it’s been back good few times since
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2018 12:13:08 GMT
Full cast announced...
"Chisara Agor will play Dorothy with Kelly Agbowu as the Lion / Zeke, Shanay Holmes as Glinda / Aunt Em, Lorna Laidlaw as The Wizard / Professor Marvel, Dillon Scott-Lewis as Tin Man / Hickory, Jos Vantyler as the Wicked Witch / Miss Gulch, Thomas Vernal as Uncle Henry / Oz Guard and Ed Wade as Scarecrow / Hunk.
The Oz company will also feature Rhys Batten, Jade Davies, Luke Fraser Yates, Zak Nemorin, Kerri Norville, Elisha Sherman, Emily Squibb and Ben Thompson. The cast is completed by local dogs taking on the role of Dorothy's loveable companion, Toto."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 21:20:29 GMT
Saw this the other night, it is a BRILLIANT production and not like any version of The Wizard of Oz that's been done before (and I know it has been done to death). A very modern take on it and amazing casting. Definately worth seeing if you're in or around the Midlands over Christmas!
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Post by fansylvanians on Dec 8, 2018 15:22:35 GMT
Saw this the other night, it is a BRILLIANT production and not like any version of The Wizard of Oz that's been done before (and I know it has been done to death). A very modern take on it and amazing casting. Definately worth seeing if you're in or around the Midlands over Christmas! We actually drove up from London to see this last night - worth every minute of our time and money. It's the best version of the show I've ever seen, the puppetry Munchkins are fantastic and the whole cast work their tushes off.
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253 posts
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Post by No. on Dec 21, 2018 22:52:51 GMT
Just got back from this, honestly didn’t picture myself adoring it quite as much as I did. They’ve done a good job of freshening up the show while still keeping its core which I’m thrilled about!
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540 posts
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Post by drowseychap on Jan 4, 2019 2:34:00 GMT
Saw this tonight I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did ... was aprahensive as the classic film and Judy are the holy grail .... and have seen many stage productions over the years all of them with varying degrees of success some really dragged some tried to emulate the movie this did neither was fresh and exciting I was drawn in from the start ... beautifully designed and executed some really great set designs loved the constant movement throughout Still had a few nods to the original which was nice and respectful ..... the cast were all great ... I felt the Opening number in the second half could have been sung with more conviction and energy by the guy who played Henry and the guard ..... and the girl playing the lion 🦁 didn’t appear to inhabit the Role like the other 2 did. Always felt she was thinking of her next line or move .... but rest of the cast very strong .... loved marvel / wizard she was great still keeping the humour and authenticity of the the wizard we know and love but with a fresh twist..... as did miss gulch played by a man. ..... I know the rep share Xmas shows with Leeds does anyone know is this the same as Leeds last year or have the Rep re staged it all Overall I’ve never enjoyed a stage production of Oz so much catch it if you can 🌈 😊
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5,139 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 4, 2019 10:21:45 GMT
I know the rep share Xmas shows with Leeds does anyone know is this the same as Leeds last year The 2017 Christmas show at the 'old' West Yorkshire Playhouse was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In 2016 it was Strictly Ballroom. Time flies.
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 4, 2019 10:28:35 GMT
The Crucible in Sheffield did The Wizard of Oz for Christmas 2017. It wasn't brilliant.
From the descriptions, the Rep version is a very different production.
I should be seeing The Rep version next Friday evening. Looking forward to it based on all the good things I've heard.
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540 posts
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Post by drowseychap on Jan 5, 2019 2:20:26 GMT
The Crucible in Sheffield did The Wizard of Oz for Christmas 2017. It wasn't brilliant. From the descriptions, the Rep version is a very different production. I should be seeing The Rep version next Friday evening. Looking forward to it based on all the good things I've heard. Hope you enjoy I’m pretty hard to please especially when it comes to Oz 🌈😊 but I loved it ... be really interested in hearing your thoughts 💭
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 12, 2019 10:56:33 GMT
This is a very good production, which comes to the end of its run this weekend. Friday night was pretty full but there were empty seats. Very from the end of the front row was great.
The show starts around 10 minutes early with the band (and various ensemble members with guitars and the like) joining in with an overture. Like much of the music, it's the same songs as the original but played in a different style, so this part had more of a ragtime feel. Later on, you see lots of styles of music even including a bit of rap. It works in most cases, although I am partial to the original sound.
Lots of other changes have been made. The most obvious is male characters changed to female, as well as a usually female role played by a man in drag. This is very inclusive performance, reflective of Birmingham as a city, so many roles are played by black actors (the audience on the evening I saw this was still predominantly white, but this has been playing two daytime shows a day to schools for much of its run).
This was a performance with surtitles, positioned right above the conductor. I didn't really notice them, although some of the cast did sit with legs dangling over the front of the stage at one point, which would have blocked the view of anyone who needed them. The surtitles also made it obvious when the cast deviated from the script, most obvious in a joke about bondage and safe words, which got the biggest laugh from the audience (there weren't many children in).
There is no traditional yellow brick road, just various yellow items moved about. Likewise, the effects are very simple, with the tornado shown by ripping parts from a house structure leaving just a frame, used in many other ways, behind (this also got laughs from the audience, which I'm sure wasn't the attention). And puppets are used well to show some of the inhabitants of Oz.
I've seen three versions of the Wizard of Oz in around 12 months. It usually drags a bit. This version runs for 2 hours 35 minutes (including a 15 minute interval) and you do still notice the padding in the second half, but there are enough moments of magic that it doesn't feel too long. I couldn't say the same about the other versions (Sheffield Crucible last year and ALW version on its Australia tour). The Birmingham Rep version is by far the best and I think you'll struggle to find many ways directors can innovate with the Wizard of Oz more.
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