THE WIZARD OF OZ | THE BRUNTON @ LORETTO THEATRE
★★★
“Crammond, Culley and Cunningham light up the stage and bring the story to life…”
Pantomime has a specific rhythm and structure to its storytelling, in which characters exist in a hierarchy distinct from other forms of theatre. It allows the subconscious removal of the fourth wall while still suspending disbelief and defines the audience’s role in the production. Without it, the cast must work far harder for the responses they need.
It’s one of a number of ‘deconstructive’ moves that break the magical spell in this lively festive production of The Wizard of Oz; the most unforgivable being the appearance of the Dame as a male character in the final scene. Sans wig, yet still with a full face of make-up, you can feel the amazing work put into the previous two and a bit hours by Graham Crammond evaporate as the aforementioned suspension of disbelief is snatched away in a single line.
Which is a shame, because despite the disjointed nature of Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon’s overtly political and rambling script, on this occasion the performance overruns by around 20 minutes, there a lot of of talent on the stage, arguably making the material they are working with far better than it is. They deserve better.
This season, resident dame Crammond is Glenda, the Not So Wicked Witch of East Lothian. A towering creation, especially when in a stand-off with Nicola Jo Cully’s playfully wicked Grinch-like Witch of the West. A generous performer, Crammond, with a wry observation for every eventuality and a twinkle in his eye, brings out the best in all those on stage around him.
The six strong company, and six strong chorus of local youngsters, open the show with Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone, setting this reimagining of L Frank Baum’s classic tales in [Preston] Pansas, East Lothian, where Dorothy, her mother, conspiracy theorist uncle Derek and siblings are preparing for the big day. Spoiled, grumpy and rude, this Dorothy is ready to strike out on her own. However, when a big storm hits Pansas, she suddenly finds herself whisked over the rainbow, where she meets a scarecrow looking for a brain, a tin man looking for a PS7, and a cowardly lion looking for some courage… from there, the basic narrative of the story is as to be expected, except it goes around the houses to get there.
Director Bruce Strachan’s pacing doesn’t help, nor do the constraints of a tight budget, although set designer Eve Murray does make a good fist of creating the world of Oz and Pansas within those limitations.
While it might be Dorothy’s story, it falls to Crammond to keep the momentum going. He receives good support in doing so from Cully and an impressive Ben Cunningham, whose dippy Scarecrow might be in search of a brain but is as crafty as he is loveable. Like Crammond and Cully, Cunningham has an instinctive understanding of comedy timing and shows off his panto chops with aplomb. Indeed, whenever any of the three present, they take the show up a gear.
The members of the chorus are put to good use too, playing bit parts along the way (with varying degrees of success) bulking up the big numbers, of which a mash-up of Follow The Yellow Brick Road and The Proclaimers’ (I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles proves the stand out. If the songs have the feet tapping and hands clapping, audience participation frequently feels forced and never really flows naturally. That said, Crammond’s enlisting of an audience ‘volunteer’ to help save the day and chase through the audience brings some riotous and much needed excitement to proceedings.
By the time Dorothy ‘clicks’ her Ruby Sambas (iconic Adidas trainers, in case you wondered) to return home, there may be a sense of relief to be finally escaping a running IBS gag that fails to land every time, but a Pink Pony Club Songsheet ensures the show goes out on a high… apart from the appearance of Uncle Glenn.
Run ends 27 December Tickets HERE
