The Wizard of Oz: the musical

walking to the High Street

Wyona, Greg, Duncan, Rebecca and I slipped into central London to see the Wizard of Oz last night, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s newest musical.

Duncan and I walked up to the High Street arm in arm.

I was practising being old and walking by someone who would help me in case I slipped in the leaves.

He was good at keeping upright, and happy to be there for we were stopping by the small confectionery to top up on treats for the night.

Standing outside of Libertys

The show was full of great comedy for adults who were taking children along to the show – nice references, both musically and textually to other shows we have seen or read.

They worked in a reference to the film The Lion in Winter (a 1968).

I heard adults laughing over that one.

We saw the understudy do the part of Dorothy on Sunday afternoon.  Wyona and Greg want to go back and see the woman who got the main part, since they don’t know how it could have been better.

And the musical references were so thick, if you have seen many (or all) of his work.   Wyona, Rebecca and I would just look at each other when we would hear them and raise our eyebrows.

showing off our tickets
in front of those red shoes

There was all of the beautiful technical filmic work that we saw in Love Never Dies – the use of the big screen to simulate the tornado that brings Dorothy to Oz, for example, or the showering of confetti as we had in Lord of the Rings, or the amazing feat of witches flying through the air and into the audience, referencing Wicked.

Even that little dog Toto reminded me of the dog in Legally Blonde.  Everyone in the audience is kept amused, except for times when the witch is too horrifying at which time small children clutch their parent's arms.

When the Wicked Witch of the East melts, she shimmered right into a pool of green on the stage.

Such magic.

outside the theatre with Greg

There was a trivia question onboard the ship:  which of the following musicals did Andrew Lloyd  Webber not write: Jesus Christ, Super Star; Les Mis, Love Never Dies; Phantom of the Opera; Cats; and Evita.

Correct answer?

(Les Mis)

On the way into the theatre we stopped by the showcase to look at the t-shirts, hats, sweats,CD-s, and “Toto” dogs that are for sale.

standing on the inside steps
of the new London Paladium
refurbished for 4.2 million pounds

“Dumb”, said Duncan.

“Oh no, after the show is over, you will be begging for something,” said the woman at the concession booth.

On the way home we were singing fantastic new songs like "Nobody Understands Me", "Home is a Place in Your Heart" and the terrifying "Bring Me the Broomstick of the Witch of the West".

And now for tonight?

Wicked!

How wicked is that!