WITH MATTHEW MYERS / THEATRE

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THE CLASSIC story of farm girl, Dorothy, swept new production stars as Glinda and away by a tornado to the magical where as Elphaba, reprising their witch roles she meets colourful characters such as , from the Australian production of . and a , is an all-time family Samantha Dodemaide is Dorothy, Eli Cooper favourite and regarded as a gay cultural icon. It’s appeal (Matilda) takes on the Scarecrow, It was the 1939 MGM movie, starring Judy (The Phantom Of The Opera) is Tin Man and John Garland, that resonated so strongly with gay comes from the Xintavelonis, who made his name in The Lion King, audiences. Queer interpretations recognised plays the cowardly Lion. The Wizard will be played Dorothy as a kindred spirit – trapped in a dull, togetherness of an by “living national treasure” and theatre drawcard, stultifying world, dreaming of a better life “over unconventional . The production is directed by the rainbow”. The tornado of the film literally Lisa Green. transports Dorothy from black-and-white farm family, where our Tin Man actor, Alex Rathgeber says the gay life to vivid Technicolor in Oz on The Yellow Brick connection to the text is well appreciated by Road. Along the way, she gets to dance and sing strengths lie in the this production. “It’s about a bunch of isolated with her three unusual friends and, despite their things that make individuals who band together, accept their challenges (a wicked witch) and disappointments differences and forge ahead as a team – looking for a (the Wizard himself), they all learn valuable lessons us unique. better Technicolor life,” he says. about self-acceptance. “I think the LGBTI community connect to that The extended metaphor was clear to a generation idea of being different, wanting a key to their own of oppressed post-war homosexuals. It was still freedom of expression, and there’s a huge sense of valued by the Gay Liberation generation that celebration and love. It comes from the ultimate followed and who rioted at Stonewall Inn in 1969 togetherness of an unconventional family, where on the occasion of Judy Garland’s death and one- our strengths lie in the things that make us unique. too-many raids by the New York police. Many gay “In general, people relate to the way all the men related to Garland’s personal struggles, the characters in this story have a desire for their life to term “friends of Dorothy” became code for “gay be different, and for a perceived void to be filled,” people” and the transformative rainbow became adds Alex. the symbol of Gay Pride. For some, the idea of an Oz stage revival may There are many books in the Oz series by L seem tiresome but considerable creative effort Frank Baum and in one Dorothy meets a new has gone into bringing this new production up to character named Polychrome who points out Wicked heights. The London Sunday Telegraph her “queer friends” to which Dorothy replies that called it a ten-star production and the Evening “the queerness doesn’t matter, so long as they’re Standard noted its gorgeous sense of spectacle. friends”. Her further were diverse, However, the Daily Mail said it was not much better with some plots involving same-sex attractions and than a decent pantomime. even trans characters. Spectacular or pantomime, the first Broadway The stage musical was most production of The Wizard Of Oz was back in 1902. recently revived in a London Palladium production. Obviously there’s something special enough about While the film’s original music by Harold Arlen this story to still fill seats over a century later. Where remained, the production was given the Andrew will The Yellow Brick Road take us this time? Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice treatment, adding some FRIENDS OF DOROTHY (TOP) THE LONDON PALLADIUM REVIVAL contemporary shine. OF THE WIZARD OF OZ. (ABOVE) ALEX Now The Wizard Of Oz is touring Aus, opening RATHGEBER WILL PLAY THE TIN MAN IN MORE: visit wizardofozthemusical.com in this month. In some clever casting, the THE AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION.

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