While the work is never done, Theatreland is finally starting to be more inclusive in the kinds of stories being told and performers that are being spotlighted. Currently in the West End one could take in, ‘Tina, The Tina Turner Musical’, ‘Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical’, ‘The Drifters Girl’, ‘The Prince of Egypt’ or ‘Hamilton: An American Musical’. These shows have predominantly non-white casts and/or creative teams. That producer Ken Harper managed to mount an all-Black version of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in 1975 and have it play Broadway for four years, is near miraculous.
The Wiz or to give it it’s full title “The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" has music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls with a book by William F. Brown, the original run made a star out of Stephanie Mills and spawned a film adaptation directed by Sidney Lumet. The ‘Network’ director made few but significant changes to the show including changing Dorothy’s home from Kansas to Harlem. Matthew Xia’s new staging for Hope Mill takes this cue from the cinematic version, implying Dorothy resides in a tower block against an industrial landscape as opposed to fields of corn. There is footage of Black Lives Matter marches looping on a TV in the corner, suggesting a weariness to Cherelle Williams’ Dorothy and a longing for escape to more vibrant surroundings…
Part of the joy of this production is getting to see how Xia reinterprets the familiar trappings of Oz. Tarik Frimpong’s Scarecrow gamely flops about, Llewellyn Graham pops and locks as Tinman, while Jonathan Andre hilariously swishes as the Cowardly Lion. The travelling nature of the story makes it difficult to single out a particular performance, everybody makes an impact with relatively short stage-time; from Cameron Bernard-Jones’ flamboyant Wiz, to Ashh Blackwood’s hilarious Evillene, to Bree Smith’s gorgeous Glinda. Where the script occasionally shows it’s age, with its hepcat 70s slang, the cast give the material new life.
Simon Kenny’s designs are minimal but efficient and work symbiotically with the enthusiastic ensemble in creating the world of Oz. Speaking of the enthusiastic ensemble, (many of them making their professional debut) they make the most out of Leah Hill’s impressive choreography. There are some truly jaw-dropping routines that are breathlessly dynamic. Musical Director Ehsaan Shivarani leads a funky eight-piece band, that jams through the score with enthusiasm. The arrangements strike a balance between the 70s soul of the original and peppering in modern beats, as in the ‘Poppies Ballet’ or when the foursome encounter the terrifying Kalidahs. I was also pleased to hear the reinstatement of Scarecrow’s ‘You Can’t Win’, a song pulled before the show ever made it to Broadway but then dusted off for Michael Jackson to sing in the movie.
Ultimately though, the success of any Oz-based tale falls on the shoulders of Dorothy. She is our entry point, the relatable figure amidst the craziness unfolding and to this end Cherelle Williams succeeds excellently, selling Dorothy’s fear but also her warmth, in drawing together and encouraging her band of misfits. Williams’ yearning ‘Home’ at the finale, is a poignant moment that would thaw the coldest of hearts. I have long since thought that the tunes from ‘The Wiz’ deserve far more acknowledgment in the musical theatre canon, it is after all impossible to stifle a massive grin as the cast jubilantly deliver the Luther Vandross-penned ‘Everybody Rejoice’. In this production Matthew Xia has refreshed and reminded us of a classic musical that is the very embodiment of feelgood.
Phillip Beamon for Dr Theatre
The Wiz runs at Hope Mill Theatre until 16th January 2022
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