Produced by
Anastasia Murray.
Directed by
Jordan Graney.
Musical
Direction by Warrant Officer Graeme Reynolds
Choreographed
by Jordana McLeod.
Presented by
The ADFA Performing Arts Company
Adams Auditorium
– ADFA
11th – 13th August 2016
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
A show
written specifically for an all-black cast may seem an unusual choice for the
ADFA Performing Arts Company’s annual charity fund-raiser. In fact, this may
well be the first Canberra production of this show.
Despite its
surprisingly conventional telling of “The Wizard of Oz” story, “The Wiz” has a
very fine score, and this company is fortunate to have a very fine musical
director in Warrant Officer, Graeme Reynolds, who has managed to assemble an
impressive 19 piece orchestra, to do that score full justice. It also has a
splendid venue in the Adams Auditorium in which to perform, so why not give it
a go?
The original
1975 Broadway production won seven Tony Awards, among them “Best Musical” as
well as “Best Costume Design” and “Best Direction” for its director Geoffrey
Holder. Indeed, this writer was able to obtain some of those extraordinary
Geoffrey Holder costumes from the original Australian production, for a
production of “Kismet” in the Canberra Theatre in 1986.
However, working
with rather less resources than the producers of the Broadway version, ADFA PAC have wisely decided to forgo lavish
production, opting instead for a stripped back presentation, relying on the
terrific score, and the talent and
enthusiasm of its performers to carry
the show. It was a good decision.
Director
Jordan Graney has placed the large orchestra onstage in part-view of the
audience, behind a fairly basic multi-level setting, allowing his strong
quartet of principals, Emily Claxton
(Dorothy), Connor Haas (Lion), Jack Hirst (Tinman) and Tennay Burgess
(Scarecrow), to carry the storyline, while filling the stage with Jordana
McLeod’s well-rehearsed, stylishly choreographed ensemble numbers to provide
the spectacle.
 |
| Emily Claxton (Dorothy), Connor Haas (Lion), Jack Hirst (Tinman), Tennay Burgess (Scarecrow) |
Vocal and
acting ability among the ensemble cast is varied. Emily Claxton makes an
appealing Dorothy, even if the demands of her killer song “Home” remain just
outside her vocal abilities. Anna Thomas chews up the scenery as the wicked
witch Evilene, and her take-no-prisoners version of “No Bad News” is a
highlight. Emma Purcell is delightfully
saucy as the good witch of the north,
Adderperle, especially leading the
ensemble in “He’s the Wizard”.
Anastasia
Murray, as the good witch, Glinda, gets the best entrance of the night,
spectacularly borne aloft by five sensationally ripped body-builders. She also
provides the best vocal performance with her interpretation of “Believe in
Yourself”. Connor Haas makes an
appealing lion, and Daniel Haas makes a strong impression in the rather
thankless role of The Wiz.
Most of the
ethnic implications inherent in the script are sensibly ignored, so that in
this production Dorothy lives in Kanberra, rather than Kansas, and the script
is embellished with in-jokes and local references. All of which works surprising
well when combined with exuberant acting performances and tuneful songs. The
ADFA Performing Arts Company has struck gold by thinking outside the square to
produce this rarely seen Broadway gem.
This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 13th August 2016