THEATRE REVIEW: The Wiz - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester.

It has been a very long time since I last had any dealings with Brown and Smalls's 'The Wiz' - a Black take on Baum's The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, and it also happened to be the first time that I have seen it performed as was originally intended, by an all black cast. [My previous involvement with this show being on an amateur and Youth Theatre level].

Let me tell you right now... I LOVE this show. It's far superior in my opinion to the rather twee 'Wizard Of Oz', and Matthew Xia's production at Hope Mill Theatre is joyous, liberating, colourful, upbeat, and contemporary. It's big, bold, brassy, and with a whole lot of heart.

The show starts in modern day Kansas. We are presented with blacks and greys, and an omnipresent television showing on loop a Black Lives Matter march. It's gloomy, minimalist, authoritarian, bleak.  And then the tornado comes along and suddenly we are transported (seemingly back in time several decades... but that doesn't matter) to a graffitied crazy world peopled by interesting and eccentric characters.

The quality of talent on display throughout the show is mesmerising and mindblowing. From a street-dancing, body-popping, gymnastic ensemble, to leading characters who simply cannot put a foot (or a note) wrong, singing and dancing music which, from my middle-class, middle-aged, white man perspective, is ALWAYS best when performed by Black people: gospel, hip-hop, blues, funk, Motown, etc... it must be a part of their DNA or something. 

The show should also be praised for championing LGBTQ performers in this production too. 'The Wiz' lent itself nicely to this and this evening's audience were more than appreciative of this in the casting / directing of the show. 

It would be wrong of me to try and single out any one cast member from this truly amazing ensemble piece. They were all astoundingly talented and every number was a complete showstopper in its own right. Jonathan Andre (Lion), Llewellyn Graham (Tinman), Tarik Frimpong (Scarecrow), and Cherelle Williams (Dorothy) were an epic foursome, supported by an equally epic team of Cameron Bernard Jones (The Wiz), Bree Smith (Aunt Em / Glinda), Anelisa Lamola (Addaperle), Ashh Blackwood (Eveline), Kofi Dennis, Dylan Gordon-Jones, Andle Mabhena, Shayna McPherson, Marisha Morgan, and Samatha Shuma (all ensemble).

Simon Kenny's set is clever and creative, using the space available to him optimally, although the single row of audience seats at either side are extremely close to the action - so close in fact that they more or less are the action at times. A much more visceral perpsective from these seats than even the banquettes at The Royal Exchange (a theatre Xia is more than familiar with).

Musically (under the direction of Ehsaan Shvarai) sounded superb, however there were a couple of times when the levels were just not quite right and the band was too loud overpowering a quiet solo section.

'The Wiz' calls for a large cast and chorus (hence it being ideal for Youth Theatre), and it must be noted that at times the ensemble moments were extremely sparce here. Only 4 Munchkins isn't really enough for example. But wow.... what they didn't have in number, they more than made up for it in zeal, zest, and expertise every single time. 

A wonderful, feel-good, all-encompassing, not-often-performed Musical, [actually only the fourth professional production of the musical ever to be staged in the UK!], which is guranteed to blow off the Winter blues, and bring a huge smile to your face. And even though this particular song had been cut from this production, I can firmly state that "I Want To Be Seen Green!" 

"Ease On Down The Road" to Hope Mill Theatre for a thrilling and positive journey full of optimism and joy!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.11.21