We skipped our way down the yellow brick road last night all the way to The Adelaide Festival Centre to see The Wizard of Oz!
This updated version of the absolute classic stars Anthony Warlow, WICKED’s leading ladies Lucy Durack (Glinda) and Jemma Rix (Wicked Witch of the West) and Samantha Dodemaide as Dorothy.
Jemma Rix as the Wicked Witch of the West was a standout for us, especially my daughter who thought her cackle was hilarious.
We also loved John Xintavelonis as the lion, Alex Rathgeber as the Tin Man and Eli Cooper was very funny as Scarecrow.
Even though all of the performances were great, it was a little dog called Toto who stole the show getting a great reaction every time he made an appearance.
The set is fantastic and the costumes even more so. Glinda’s dress especially. And all of your favourite Wizard of Oz songs are in there. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Ding Dong, We’re Off To See The Wizard. We were whistling the whole way home!
So is it good for kids?
I took my 5 year old to the 7:30pm session and being a 2.5 hour show including 20 minute interval she was fighting with herself to stay awake in the last 15 minutes, but she got there, and she loved it. I woke up this morning to find her lying in bed reading her program!
There are also a few scary bits. Winnie wasn’t bothered by them, but the visuals and loud noises of the tornado scene, some of the Wicked Witch scenes and at the end with The Wizard of Oz might scare some younger kids. There are some loud bangs, flashing lights and a little bit of scary dialogue. You’ll have to make that decision for yourselves.
But I would say that if your kids are around 8 and over (or younger kids that can sit still for over 2 hours and aren’t easily frightened) they will absolutely LOVE it.
There are also a few matinee options at 1pm, 2pm and an early night show at 6pm on Sunday April 15, which is great for kids who don’t cope with a late bedtime.
You won’t be out of the theatre until around 10pm so keep that in mind.
There were quite a few kids at last nights performance and they all looked pretty happy walking out.
Photo from Adelaide Festival Centre
The Wizard of Oz is showing at the Adelaide Festival Centre in a strictly limited season from now until April 29.
Tickets available online at
www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/events/wizard-of-oz
You might also be interested in
-
After reading up on a few of the different brands I kept coming back to the SPACETALK and asked if they would be interested in sending us a couple of their Adventurer watches for the KiA kids to try.
-
Where: Netflix When: NowBingeability: High - 7 x 45-60 min eps.Short Version: If you scrolled past because 'chess is boring', scroll back. Click. Consume all of it.Suitable for Kids: Not unless your kids love chess....which they probably don't. Even then.....No. Given movies don't exist anymore apart from B Grade Christmas Netflix trash, when a good quality series comes along (not looking at you Tiger King...you only got us because we were weak and quarantined) it really stands out. Sometimes it will be in a genre that you least expect. I can't remember the last time I watched a great mini-series about an orphaned 1960s Chess Grandmaster/fashion icon, but this is certainly the best one I have seen. "But I hate chess, its boring and I don't understand it anyway, surely I can just watch the new season of Below Deck instead?" Well internet friend, yes, yes you can watch Captain Lee and his impeccably manicured beard, but I have to keep you informed on what you are missing out here. This isn't really about chess. Sure it is a central plot point, but Anya Taylor-Joy is simply sensational in this and whether it be chess, lawn bowls or competitive knitting, you…
-
Where: Netflix When: NowBingeability: High - 7 x 45min eps.Short Version:Oh. My. God. What the hell did my eyeballs just consumeSuitable for Kids: NO NO NO WAY! How is it humanly possible to describe this insanity? Lets go with this. Do you enjoy;True CrimeNature docosJerry SpringerUS American reality shows on HayU where people have like 5 wives but its pretty much just a cult.If you answered yes to one or all of these questions then do I have a show for you. Do I ever. Tiger King tells the story of quite possibly the most insane group of whack jobs ever assembled on screen at one time. Its sort of like The Avengers…..with meth and tigers. Focusing on Joe Exotic, who once upon a time owned what can loosely be described as a zoo that housed a bucketload of tigers, but is more accurately described as Jerry Springer with tigers, Tiger King just needs to be seen to be believed. Don’t get me wrong, Joe is stark raving bonkers, but he is not alone here. Everyone in this show is nuts and a criminal. You will finish this show and realise that you aren’t really rooting for a good or bad…
