Introduction
This enchanting panto version of The Wizard of Oz, sees Dorothy (Tabitha Gregory) and her little dog Toto joined in The Wonderful Land of Oz with her Aunt Em (Howard Cronshaw).
Unfortunately, Aunt Em’s house lands right on top of an evil witch crushing her to death. Her sister Olga (Ruth Till), the wicked Witch of the East arrives and threatens Dorothy and Aunt Em with dire consequences if they don’t hand over her dead sister’s magic ruby slipppers.
Glinda (Suzanne Ford) the good Witch of the West tells Olga that she has little power outside her own land. But in order to escape the Witch and return home to Kansas, they must travel to the Emerald City and seek the help of the Wizard (Declan Scammell).
On the way there, they are joined not only by the usual Scarecrow (Jan Sadler), Cowardly Lion (Nigel Flynn) and Tinman (Morag Cronshaw), but strangely enough by the king of rock and roll, Elvis Aaron Presley (Zac Quinnell), who has been on tour in Oz and now can’t find his way back to Graceland.
Along the way they are attacked by Olga and her winged monkeys but are helped by Glinda and her slightly dippy sister Letitia (Chloe Ford), who enjoys the odd tipple.
They eventually reach the Emerald City only to learn that before the Wizard will help them, they must travel to Olga’s castle and bring back the magic emerald crystal that she has stolen from him.
Lots of traditional panto fun and games, with continuous audience participation as Aunt Em enlists their help in making sure that her pet hamster “Ding-A-Ling” is well catered for.
Cast List
- Dorothy – Tabitha Gregory
- Aunt Em – Howard Cronshaw
- Olga – Ruth Till
- Glinda – Suzanne Ford
- Wizard – Declan Scammell
- Scarecrow – Jan Sadler
- Lion – Nigel Flynn
- Tinman – Morag Cronshaw
- Elvis Aaron Presley – Zac Quinnell
- Letitia – Chloe Ford
Directed by Mary Harding
Performed in November 2014