Norwich School’s Gather23 Festival continues with the Inters musical: The Wizard of Oz. Directed and produced for the stage by Lauren Carter for her Independent Project, it was a resounding success, delighting audiences with classic songs, well-timed jokes and hugely entertaining characters.
Kicking off with Dorothy (Alice) and her naughty dog Toto, we meet Aunt Em (Bella) and Uncle Henry (Aaron) who are too busy working on the farm, inattentive to Dorothy’s woes. Enter Miss Gulch (India), the law-enforcing neighbour who’s determined to wreak revenge on Dorothy’s biting pet and carries him away in her basket.
Centre-stage, a worried Alice sings the familiar notes of Somewhere Over the Rainbow beautifully. It’s followed by Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, the ensemble cast first appearing as the munchkins who were once ruled by the now deceased witch. With the ruby red shoes in her possession, Dorothy sets off on her quest to return home, following the yellow brick road….
There were many stand-out performances, with several pupils performing as two characters. When Rachel wasn’t playing Zeke, her tremulous voice made her a convincing cowardly lion, who was an entertaining mix of bravado and bluster. As Scarecrow, Ben was smooth and mellow-voiced as he wished for a brain. And Will shone in his silvery costume as Tin Man, desperate for a heart. Alongside Dorothy, as her friends from the farm or in Oz as they set off for the Emerald City, we are entertained by the easy camaraderie and wit of these four characters.
Glinda (Moya) brought a calm presence - and glamour - to the stage as the good Witch of the North. Her gentle character contrasted splendidly with the hugely memorable Wicked Witch (India), who was everything we could have wished for in a villain; green-faced, hunch-backed and terrifying!
Last but not least, Daisy was superb as Professor Marvel and the Wizard of Oz, not only for her on-stage presence and booming voice, but for the incredibly long dialogue she delivered in the final scenes word perfectly.
And we can’t forget the ensemble for their acrobatics, dancing and singing, especially Nikko/Dance Captain Isla, Dance Captain Benji and Jitterbug Rosie.
Well done and congratulations, Inters, on a fabulous musical!
